The climate of this district is characterized by a hot summer and general dryness throughout the year except during the south-west monsoon season. The year may be divided into four seasons. The period from about the middle of November to the end of February constitutes the winter season. The summer season extends from March to June. This is followed by the south-west monsoon season which extends up to the end of September. October and November constitute the post-monsoon season. Temperature rises rapidly after February till May which is the hottest month of the year. In May, the mean daily maximum temperature at Akola is 42.4 degree Celsius and the mean daily minimum temperature is 27.5 degree Celsius. The heat in the summer season is intense during the day and the nights are comparatively tolerable. During the period from April to June, on individual days, the day temperature raises upto about 46 degree Celsius or 47 degree Celsius With the arrival of the south-west monsoon in the district by about mid-June there is an appreciable drop in the day temperature and the weather becomes pleasant. Both day and night temperature decreases rapidly from October till December, which is the coldest month in the year. The mean daily maximum temperature during this month is 29.3 degree Celsius and the mean daily minimum temperature is 11.9 degree Celsius. In the rear of the western disturbances, which move across north India in the winter months, cold waves affect the district at times and night temperatures may go down to about 2 to 4 degree Celsius. Except during the south-west monsoon season when the humidity is between 60 to 80 per cent, the air is generally dry over the district. The summer months are the driest when the relative humidity is even less than 20 per cent in the afternoons on many days. |