Know the distribution of temperature and rainfall, including monsoon, depressions, and convectional rain.
Know seasonal and regional variations, and the factors contributing to them, including depressions, thunderstorms, and cyclones.
Understand the causes of the monsoon (you do NOT need to know the causes of other types of rain).
Describe and explain the characteristics of the climate of arid, semi-arid, humid, and highland regions, including seasonal variations.
Know the influence of latitude and longitude on day length and climate.
Understand the influence of climate on the economy and lives of people — including the effects of low temperature/snow, rainstorms/flooding, and drought/water shortage.
Weather — The day-to-day conditions of the atmosphere (e.g., "It is raining today in Lahore").
Climate — The average atmospheric conditions of a place over a long period of time, usually 30 years (e.g., "Lahore has hot, wet summers and cool, dry winters").
Before learning about rainfall types, it helps to understand why temperatures vary across Pakistan.
A. Latitude (Distance from the Equator)
Latitude is how far north or south a place is from the equator, measured in degrees (°).
Places near the equator receive the sun's rays at a direct angle — the rays hit a small area and are very concentrated, making it hot.
Places far from the equator (like the north of Pakistan) receive rays at an oblique (slanted) angle — the rays spread over a large area and are less concentrated, making it cooler.
Example: Hyderabad (south, lower latitude) is warmer than Faisalabad (further north, higher latitude).
B. Altitude (Height Above Sea Level)
As you go higher in altitude, the air becomes thinner — there are fewer air molecules to hold heat.
Temperature drops approximately 10°C for every 1 km rise in altitude.
This is why mountain cities like Quetta and Gilgit are much cooler than low-lying plains cities like Karachi.
Valleys can also be cooler because surrounding mountains block sunlight.
C. Distance from the Sea (Maritime vs. Continental Influence)
Water heats up and cools down much more slowly than land.
Coastal areas (like Karachi) have moderate temperatures — not too hot in summer, not too cold in winter — because the sea regulates the temperature. This is called a maritime influence.
Inland areas (far from the sea, like Jacobabad) heat up intensely in summer and cool sharply in winter. This is called a continental climate.
D. Cloud Cover
Clouds reflect sunlight away during the day, keeping temperatures lower.
At night, clouds trap heat close to the Earth's surface, keeping it warmer.
Desert areas have no cloud cover: days are extremely hot and nights are very cold.