Question

Study the climatic data given below and answer the questions that follow.

Month	JAN	FEB	MAR	APR	MAY	JUN	JUL	AUG	SEPT	OCT	NOV	DEC
$^\circ {\text{C}}$	$25.0$	$25.5$	$26.3$	$27.1$	$30.0$	$36.2$	$36.0$	$35.9$	$30.3$	$28.4$	$27.0$	$24.6$
Cm	$24.5$	$23.1$	$15.0$	$2.4$	$0.1$	$11.0$	$9.3$	$7.2$	$4.0$	$9.4$	$14.5$	$20.4$

1. Calculate the annual temperature range.
2. How much is the total annual rainfall?
3. Presuming that the station is located in India, give a reason for its location being on the east coast or the west coast of India.

Answer 1

Hint: The climate of a place is known as the average atmospheric condition of that place over a long period of time (more than 30 years). And on the other hand, the weather of a place is known as the day-to-day temperature and precipitation activity of that respective place; thus weather has a shorter period of time.

Complete answer:
(i) The Annual range of temperature is known as the difference between the highest temperature and the lowest temperature in a particular year.
The formula used to calculate the annual range of temperature is
${\text{Annual Range of Temperature}} = {\text{Highest Temperature}} - {\text{Lowest Temperature}}$
From the table, we can see that the highest temperature was recorded in June which was $36.2^\circ {\text{C}}$ and the lowest temperature according to the table, was recorded in December which was $24.6^\circ {\text{C}}$.
Now, if we put the above values into the formula, we will get
${\text{Annual Range of Temperature}} = 36.2^\circ {\text{C}} - 24.6^\circ {\text{C = }}11.6^\circ {\text{C}}$
Thus, the Annual Range of Temperature is $11.6^\circ C$.
(ii) The Total Annual Rainfall is known as the sum of the rainfall in each month of a particular year.
The formula to calculate the Total Annual Rainfall is
Total Annual Rainfall=The Rainfall received in each month of a particular year.
Now, if we put the values given in the table into the formula, we will get
${\text{Total Annual Rainfall }} = 24.5 + 23.1 + 15.0 + 2.4 + 0.1 + 11.0 + 9.3 + 7.2 + 4.0 + 9.4 + 14.5 + 20.4 = 140.9{\text{ cm}}$
Thus, the Total Annual Rainfall is $140.9$ Cm.
(iii) As we can see from the table that the amount of rainfall received in the winters is increasing from October to November, this shows that the location of this place in India is on the eastern coast since eastern coasts receive most of their rainfall in the winter months due to the retreating monsoon which causes heavy and widespread rain.

Note: The total annual rainfall can be calculated if you have the values of the rainfall in each month of a particular year. The Annual range of temperature can be calculated by the difference between the highest temperature and the lowest temperature in a particular year and not the other way around.