Stamp's Classification of Climatic Regions

Stamp's Climatic Regionalization

Dr. L. Dudley Stamp's classification of Indian climate is very much akin to that suggested by W.G. Kendrew. This classification is empirical, arbitrary and subjective, but uses quantitative limits to the regions in easily understood units like temperature and rainfall. Stamp's schemes has been presented here with slight modifications here and there. Stamp used 18°C isotherm of mean monthly temperature for January to divide the country into two broad climatic regions, viz., temperate or continental zone in the north and tropical zone in the south. 

The two Major climatic regions are further divided into eleven depending upon the amount of rainfall and temperature.

 A. The Temperate on Continental India has been divided into following five region:

1. The Himalayan region (heavy rainfall) 
2. The north-western legion (modem, rainfall) 
3. The arid low land 
4. The region of moderate rainfall 
5. The transitional tone

B. The tropical India has been divided Into following six regions :

1. Region of very heavy rainfall 
2. Region of heavy rainfall 
3. Region of moderate rainfall 
4. The Konkan Coast 
5. The Malabar Coast 
6. Tamil Nadu 

A. Climatic regions of temperate or continental India 

I. The Himalayan Region. 

This region embraces the entire Himalayan mountain area which includes from west to cast. Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, large parts of Uttarakhand, the north hill region of West Bengal. Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. The winter and summer temperatures are 4*-7°C and 13°-18°C respectively. The higher reaches are perpetually under snow and ice. The average annual rainfall exceeds 200 cm in the cast but it is much less in the west. Shimla in the west and Darjeeling in the cast arc its representative cities.

 2. The North-western Region. 

It includes the northern parts of Punjab and southern parts of Jammu and Kashmir. The winter and summer temperatures are 6°C and 24°C .respectively. Amritsar is its representative city. 

3. The Arid Lowland. 

This is a vast dry arts which includes the Thar desert of Rajasthan, south western pan of Haryana and Kachchh of Gujarat. The average temperature in winter varies from 16' to 24°C which may shoot up to 48°C in summer. Jaipur is representative city. The average annual rainfall does not exceed 40 cm. 

4. The region of moderate rainfall. 

Parts of in Haryana. western Uttar Pradesh. Union of Delhi. north-west Plateau area of Madhya Pradesh eastern Rajasthan are areas of average rainfall with an annual rainfall of 40 to 80 cm. Temperatures in January and July are 15°-18°C and respectively. Most of the rainfall occurs in summer. Delhi represents this region very well. 

5. The Transitional Zone. 

Eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar comprise the transitional zone between areas of average rainfall on the west and areas of heavy rainfall in the east. The average annual rainfall in this zone is 100-150 cm. The temperatures in January and July vary between 15'-19.C. and 35°C. Patna is the representative city of this zone. 

B. Climatic Regions of Tropical India 

6. Region of very heavy rainfall. 

These areas receive more than 200 cm of annual rain and include large pans of Meghalaya. Assam, Tripura, Mizoram and Nagaland. Temperatures remain around 18'C in January and the to 32-35' C in July. Cherrapunji and Mawsynram in Meghalaya receive 1,102 cm and 1,221 cm of annual rainfall respeaively.

7. Region of heavy rainfall. 

Chhattisgarh. Jharkhand Gangetic West Bengal and coastal Andhra Pradesh receive 100-200 cm annual rainfall and are termed as areas of heavy rainfall. The rainfall is primarily brought by the monsoon winds corning from the Bay of Bengal. The cyclones originating in the Bay of Bengal also bring some rainfall. The amount of rainfall decreases as we move from cast to west and from north to south. The January and July temperatures range from 18'-24°C to 29°-35'C respectively. Kolkata is the representative city of this region. 

8. Region of moderate rainfall. 

It includes mostly those areas between Western and Eastern Ghats which receive annual rainfall of 50-100 cm. Rainfall is comparatively low because this region lies in the rain shadow area of the Western Ghats. The average temperature in winter is 18°-24T which rises to 32°C in summer. This region is represented by Hyderabad in Telangana. 

9. The Konkan Coast.

Extending from Mumbai in the north to Goa in the south, the Konkan Coast receives over 200 cm annual rainfall brought by the Arabian Sea branch of the south-west monsoons. The temperature remains fairly high and varies from 24°-27°C. Thus the annual range of temperature is very low; to the tune of 3°C only. Mumbai is the representative city of this region. 

10. The Malabar Coast. 

It extent from Goa to Knnniyakumari and receives heavy annual rainfall of over 250 cm. The rainfall is mainly brought by the south-west monsoon winds coming from the Arabian Sea and continues for about nine months in a year. The temperature remains in the vicinity of 27°C and the annual range of temperature. This region is represented by Thiruvananthpuram. 

11. Tamil Nadu. 

It includes Tamil Nadu and  adjoining areas of Andhra Pradesh. The rainfall Varies from 100 to 150 cm and is mainly caused by retreating monsoons from north-East During  November and December. The temperature somewhere around 24'C. There is not much change in summer and winter temperature and the annual range of temperature is only 3' C . Chennai is representative of this region.