Britannica
Sources used in this answer
- Indian monsoon - Peak period
- Jammu and Kashmir - Land
- Himalayas - Climate of the Himalayas
- Indian monsoon
- Kashmir - Land and people
- Vale of Kashmir
- climate of India - Rainfall during the retreating monsoon
- Jammu and Kashmir - The Great Himalayas zone
- Jammu and Kashmir - The Vale of Kashmir
- orographic precipitation
Why do some parts of Kashmir receive more monsoon rainfall than others?
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The variation in monsoon rainfall across the Kashmir region is primarily driven by its complex topography and the presence of high mountain ranges that act as climatic barriers.12
The distribution of rainfall is largely determined by the following factors:
- Orographic Effects: As moist, southwesterly monsoon winds move inland, they are forced to rise over mountain slopes. This lifting causes the air to cool and release moisture, resulting in heavy precipitation on the windward side of the ranges.34
- Rain Shadows: The Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range act as significant barriers to these moisture-laden winds. Areas located on the leeward side of these ranges, such as the high-altitude plateau of Ladakh, are sheltered from the monsoon, leading to arid, continental conditions with very sparse rainfall.2516
- Regional Differences: Consequently, precipitation is much heavier in areas accessible to monsoonal winds, such as the subtropical southwestern lowlands, while the Vale of Kashmir remains partially sheltered by the surrounding high peaks.725