Climate

Climate

The climate of this district is on the whole dry except during the south-west monsoon season. The year may be divided into four seasons. The cold season from December to February is followed by the hot season from March to May. The south-west monsoon season which follows thereafter lasts till September. October and November constitute the post-monsoon season.

The average annual rainfall in the district is 674.0 mm. (26.53"). The rainfall is heavier in the hilly regions of the western ghats and the Satpuda ranges. Navapur near the western border has an annual rainfall of 1097.1 mm (43.19"). The rainfall during the south-west monsoon constitutes about 88 per cent of the annual rainfall, July being the rainiest month. Some rainfall is received mostly as thunder-showers in the post-monsoon season.

Except during the south-west monsoon season when the humidity is above 70 per cent, the air is rather dry over the district during the rest of the year. The driest part of the year is the summer season when the relative humidity is only 20 to 25 per cent in the afternoons.

From about the latter half of February, temperatures increase steadily till May which is the hottest part of the year with the mean daily maximum temperature at 40.7° C (105.3° F) and the mean daily minimum at 25.80 C (78.4° F). Hot, dry winds blow during April and May and the heat is intense with the maximum temperatures going above 45° C (113.0° F) on some days. Thunder-showers occur during the afternoons and bring welcome-relief from the heat on some days. With the onset of the southwest monsoon by about the second week of June there is an appreciable drop in day temperatures and the weather is pleasant in the south-west monsoon season. By about the beginning of October when the south-west monsoon withdraws, day temperatures begin to rise and a secondary maximum in day temperature is reached in October. The night temperatures, however, steadily decrease. From November, both day and night temperatures drop rapidly till January which is the coldest month with the mean daily maximum temperature at 30.'3° C (86.50 F) and the mean daily minimum at 16.2° C (61.2° F). During the cold season, cold waves which sometimes affect the district in association with western disturbances which pass across north India the minimum temperature may drop down to about 8° to 9° C (46.4° to 48.2° F).

Winds are generally light to moderate with some strengthening in force during the summer and monsoon seasons. During the southwest monsoon season, winds are mainly south-westerly to westerly.

In the post-monsoon season winds are light and variable in directions in the mornings and north-easterly to easterly in the afternoon. In the winter and summer seasons winds are mostly from directions between south-west and north-west, with northerly or north-easterly winds blowing on some afternoons.