Climate and Soil of Karnataka - Class IX

The Malnad region and the coastal plains of Karnataka, India, are located on the windward side of the Western Ghats and receive very heavy rainfall during the monsoon season.

The retreating monsoon season, which occurs after the southwest monsoon, is characterized by winds blowing from the northeast. Thus, it is commonly referred to as the North-east monsoon season.

• Agumbe is a small village located in Shimoga district in the Malnad region of Karnataka. 
  
• It is called "The Cherrapunji of the South".
  
• It receives the heaviest rainfall. 

Belagavi, located in the northern part of Karnataka, experiences lower temperatures during the winter season compared to the coastal districts.

During the rainy season in Karnataka, the influx of moisture-laden winds and cloud cover typically results in high temperatures, though it may feel humid.

The Eastern Maidan lies in the rain-shadow region of the Western Ghats, which blocks moisture-laden winds, leading to significantly lower rainfall in this area.

Karnataka receives the vast majority of its rainfall during the southwest monsoon season; consequently, winter rainfall is minimal.

• Agumbe is a small village located in Shimoga district in the Malnad region of Karnataka. 
  
• It is called "The Cherrapunji of the South".
  
• It receives the heaviest rainfall. 

Nayakna Hatti, situated in the Chitradurga district, is known as one of the driest regions in Karnataka due to its location in the rain-shadow zone.

The retreating monsoon (northeast monsoon) contributes a relatively small portion of the total annual rainfall in Karnataka, typically cited as around 12 percent.

Black soil, also known as regur, is rich in minerals like magnesium, iron, and aluminium, which contribute to its fertility.

Fertile soil is essential for agriculture because it provides the necessary nutrients and structure for plant growth.

• Red soil indicates the presence of oxidized ferric iron oxides. 

Red soil is widely distributed across the southern districts of Karnataka, covering a significant portion of the state's land area.

Red soil is generally considered less fertile compared to black or alluvial soils, often requiring fertilizers for high crop yields.

• The black soil is formed by the weathering of lava (igneous rocks) and cooling of lava after a volcanic eruption. 
  
• The soil in the Deccan Plateau consist of black basalt soil, which is rich in humus, iron and also contain high quality of magnesia, lime and alumina.

The eastern maidans are located in the rain-shadow area of the Western Ghats, resulting in low rainfall compared to the coastal and Malnad regions.

Due to its sandy and porous nature, red soil has a lower capacity for moisture retention compared to clay-rich black soil.

Black soil is famously known as black cotton soil because it is highly suitable for growing cotton.

Red soil is formed by the weathering of ancient crystalline rocks like granite and gneiss, which are abundant in the southern part of the state.

• Black soil is rich in calcium, potassium and magnesium but has poor nitrogen content. 
  
• Crops like cotton, tobacco, chilly, oil seeds, jowar, ragi and maize grow well in it. 
  
• Sandy soil is low in nutrient content but is useful for growing trees such as coconut, cashew and casuarinas in areas with high rainfall.
  

Laterite soil hardens upon exposure to air and is frequently used as building blocks or bricks for construction.

• Alluvial soil consists of silt, sand, clay, and gravel as well as much organic matter. Alluvial deposits are usually most extensive in the lower part of a river's course, forming floodplains and deltas, but they may form at any point where the river overflows its banks or where the flow of a river is checked.
  

Alluvial soil is typically deposited by rivers and is commonly found along coastal plains and river deltas.

• Laterite is a soil rich in iron and aluminium, and is commonly considered to have formed in hot and wet tropical areas. 
  
• Nearly all laterites are of rusty-red colouration because of high iron oxide content. 
  
• They develop by intensive and long-lasting weathering of the underlying parent rock.
  

Black soil is predominantly found in the northern districts of Karnataka, such as Belagavi, Dharwad, and Raichur.

Laterite soil is formed under conditions of high temperature and heavy rainfall, which leads to intense leaching of nutrients.

Laterite soil is often used for plantation crops like coffee, tea, rubber, and cashew, which thrive in such soil conditions.

• The black soil is very retentive of moisture.
  
• It swells greatly and becomes sticky when wet in rainy season.

The rainy season, driven by the southwest monsoon, is the period when Karnataka receives the majority of its annual rainfall.

Agumbe – Cherrapunji of South India. Agumbe is a small village of Malnad region of Karnataka and is called Cherrapunji of South India because it receives 7,000+ mm of rainfalls annually. This place is located in Shivmogga district and can be easily accessed from Mangalore, Udupi and Shivamogga.

These districts in the Western Ghats region experience heavy rainfall, which leads to the formation of laterite soil through leaching.

Karnataka receives the vast majority of its annual rainfall during the southwest monsoon (rainy season), which accounts for approximately 80 percent of the total.

Agumbe – Cherrapunji of South India. Agumbe is a small village of Malnad region of Karnataka and is called Cherrapunji of South India because it receives 7,000+ mm of rainfalls annually. This place is located in Shivmogga district and can be easily accessed from Mangalore, Udupi and Shivamogga.

The highest recorded temperature was 45.6 °C (114 °F) at Raichur on May 23, 1928. The lowest recorded temperature was 2.8 °C (37 °F) C at Bidar on December 16, 1918.

The pre-monsoon showers that occur in the coffee-growing regions of Karnataka are locally known as cherry blossom showers.