Rainfall and climate in India / by Sir Joseph Fayrer.

  • Fayrer, Joseph, Sir, 1824-1907.
Date:
[1881]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Rainfall and climate in India / by Sir Joseph Fayrer. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    22/46 (page 14)
    120 14 The average animal rainfall in Equatorial regions is, I believe, about ninety-five inches; in the temperate regions thirty-five inches, that for the whole of Tropical India is considerably less; while for Hindostan it would be reduced to a lower figure, if we include in the average the almost rainless Thur desert; but, if the rainfalls of the Himalayan be included, the average would, no doubt, be considerably raised. The problems presented by the rainfall are of a com- paratively simple character in Southern India and Bengal, where the influence of the monsoon is prominently felt; but in the northern regions of Hindostan, where the influence of mountains, river basins, and the desert come into operation, there must of necessity be perturbation of the direction of the air currents and of the amount of rain. Further obser- vations will, no doubt, in time throw much light on these points. For the purpose of estimating the general results of rainfall, Mr. Blandford divides India into rainfall provinces, each of which may be represented by a general average, with- out any disregard of the normal variation of distribution, and be taken as the average rainfall of all the stations included in it ; except that when particular stations, such as Cherra Poonjee in Khasia, Mount Abu in Rajputana, Matheran, Maha- bleshwar, andBaura Fort on the Western Ghauts, &c., have a fall very greatly in excess of the majority of the stations, a fall which must be considered as purely local, only a half or third value is assigned in summing up in the general average. The following table, taken from Blandford's Meteorological Report for 1879, gives the result of this estimate as regards certain localities. The areas of the several provinces have been measured on one of the Surveyor-GeneraPs maps :—