Gazetteer Punjab 1908

· 1908 · Public domain (published pre-1930) · archive.org ↗

1PHYSICAL ASPECTS 15

2pany them. Their approach is preceded by the appearance of

3a bank of cirrus cloud, which gradually overspreads the whole

4sky. Under this canopy the heat rapidly increases, more

5particularly at night, and temperatures from 5° to 15° higher

6than usual are registered. In the rear of the disturbance

7a rapid change takes place, accompanying the clearing of the

8skies and the change of wind. The thermometer falls with

9great rapidity, sharp frost on the ground is experienced, and

10air temperatures of 18° or 19° are occasionally recorded at the

11hill stations. This fall of temperature appears to be directly

12related to the snowfall on the hills, and is proportional to the

13amount of the snowfall, and to the lowness of the elevation to

14which it descends. As the rainfall of this periud accompanies

15the march of cyclonic storms from west to east across Northern

16India, it is ordinarily heaviest at the northern and Indus valley

17stations, and usually diminishes to a very small amount over

18the south and south-east.

19The mean temperature in most parts increases from February

20to May at about the rate of ro° a month, and by the end of

21March or beginning of April the hot season is in most years

22fairly established. From April till near the end of June there

23is, as a rule, no rain of importance, though occasional thunder

24and hail storms afford temporary relief from the great heat.

25A desiccating, scorching west wind blows during the greater

26part of this period, and the thermometer ranges from about

2795° in the early morning to about 115° in the heat of the day.

28These westerly winds commence to drop towards the end of

29June, and for a few days still, calm, sweltering heat succeeds

30the scorching blasts of the hot winds. About the end of June

31south and cast winds bring up heavy cumulus clouds, and in

32favourable years the monseon rains are then ushered in with

33viotent thunderstorms and heavy showers. The raintall 1s

34generally very variable and irreguiar in its advance, and is

35ordinarily brought up by the approach to the south-east of the

36Province of a cyclonic storm from the Bay of Benyal. This

37carries with it the muist south-east air currents from the Bay,

38and at the same time induces an inrush of moist air from the

39north of the Arabian Sea across the Sind and Kathiawar coasts

40and eastern and central Rayputina into the south and cast

41Punjab. The rainfall of the monsoon season is seldom steady

42or continuous, nor does it, as a rule, extend over the whole

43Province, as in the west and south the fall is both scanty and

44uncertain. For two or three days in succession heavy, fairly

45general rain may tall; but this is succeeded by intervals of

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