Distribution of Rainfall In India

Rainfall in India is highly uneven over a period of time in a year.  The western coasts and North East India receive rainfall of over 400 cm. It is less than 60 cms in western Rajasthan and adjoining parts of Gujarat, Haryana and Punjab. Similarly, rainfall is low in the interiors of the Deccan Plateau and east of Western Ghats. Then, Leh in Jammu and Kashmir is also an area of low precipitation.

Here are some more observations about distribution of rainfall in India

• As we move from Meghalaya to Haryana or Punjab in Northern plains, we observe that the rainfall decreases.
• In peninsular India, rainfall decreases from coast to interior parts.
• In North-East India, the rainfall increases with altitude.
• Maximum rainfall (above 200 cms) in India occurs in the western coast, sub Himalayan regions of north-east and Garo, Khasi and Jaintia hills of Meghalaya.
• Moderate rainfall (100-200cm) occurs in some parts of the Western Ghats, West Bengal, Odisha and Bihar and many states.
• Low rainfall (60 to 100cm) occurs in parts of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and interior Deccan plateau.
• Inadequate rainfall (Less than 60cm) occurs in western part of Rajasthan and Gujarat, Ladakh and south central part receives a rainfall of less than 20cm.