☀️ CLIMATE & SOILS OF UTTAR PRADESH

1. Three Distinct Seasons

• Summer Season (Greeshma Ritu - March to June): High temperatures across the state (highest in Bundelkhand/Agra hitting 45°C–48°C). Dominated by Loo—hot, dry, dust-laden westerly winds that drastically lower humidity.
• Monsoon Season (Varsha Ritu - July to October): Accounts for ~85% of annual rainfall, brought by the Bay of Bengal branch of the South-West Monsoon (locally termed Purva). Precipitation decreases progressively from East to West and North to South.
• Winter Season (Sheet Ritu - November to February): Clear skies and cool conditions. Light winter rainfall (10–15 cm) in North-Western UP caused by Western Disturbances (shallow cyclonic depressions from the Mediterranean), crucial for wheat and mustard crops.

2. Regional Rainfall Gradient

Region	Average Annual Rainfall	Key Geographic Districts	Climatic Characteristic
Terai Belt (Northern UP)	150 cm to 180 cm	Gorakhpur, Maharajganj, Pilibhit	Highest rainfall area in UP; highly humid, swampy micro-climate.
Eastern Plain (Purvanchal)	100 cm to 120 cm	Varanasi, Jaunpur, Deoria, Azamgarh	Substantial monsoon shower; vulnerable to localized flooding.
Central Plain	80 cm to 100 cm	Lucknow, Kanpur, Ayodhya	Moderate precipitation; balanced agricultural climatic zone.
Western Plain & SW Region	60 cm to 80 cm (Mathura ~54 cm)	Mathura, Agra, Aligarh, Meerut	Lowest rainfall region in UP; semi-arid tendencies with hot summers.
Bundelkhand Plateau	80 cm to 100 cm	Jhansi, Banda, Mahoba, Hamirpur	High evapotranspiration; unreliable erratic monsoon causing frequent droughts.

1. Alluvial Soils of the Gangetic Plain

• Khadar Soils (New Alluvium): Light brown, fine-grained sandy loam to silt found along river channels. Rich in potash and lime; replenished annually by flood deposits. Highly fertile for paddy and sugarcane.
• Bhangar Soils (Older Alluvium): Found in high terraced plains above flood levels. Clayey to loamy texture, contains nodular lime accretions (Kankar). Requires organic manure and nitrogen supplementation.
• Saline & Alkaline Soils (Reh / Kallar / Usar): Degraded Bhangar soils formed in Western and Central UP (Mainpuri, Etawah, Aligarh) due to capillary action caused by excessive canal irrigation and poor drainage.

2. Micro-Soils of Bundelkhand & Vindhyan Region

Formed by the weathering of Archean granite-gneiss and Vindhyan sedimentary rocks:

• Parwa Soil: Light yellowish-red sandy loam with good drainage, found in Jalaun and Hamirpur. Suitable for pulses and oilseeds.
• Rakar Soil: Shallow, coarse, reddish-brown sloping soil studded with small pebbles. Low organic fertility; prone to swift sheet erosion.
• Bunt (Bundelkhand Black Soil): Heavy dark clayey soil possessing high moisture retention and self-ploughing capacity. Highly suitable for cotton, gram, and wheat.
• Karo Soil: Weathered dark grey soil with lower clay content compared to Bunt, found in low-lying depressions of Bundelkhand.
• Vindhyan Red Soil: Coarse reddish sandy soil found in Mirzapur and Sonbhadra, rich in iron oxide but poor in nitrogen, phosphorus, and humus.

1. Major Forms of Soil Erosion in UP

• Water Erosion (Gully & Ravine Formation): Most severe in the Yamuna-Chambal river belt (Etawah, Agra, Jalaun). Torrential surface runoff carves deep channels creating sterile Badland Topography (Chambal Ravines).
• Sheet Erosion: Widespread in the sloping terrians of Bundelkhand during heavy monsoon downpours, washing away topsoil humus.
• Wind Erosion: Prevalent in Western UP (Agra, Mathura) during summer due to dry Loo winds blowing from the Thar desert.
• Alkalinization (Usar Land Formation): Widespread in over-irrigated canal commands of Upper/Middle Ganga Doab. Over 10 lakh hectares in UP affected by Usar/Reh.