Ladakh lies on the rain shadow side of
the Himalayan. Where dry monsoon winds reaches Leh after being robbed of its
moisture in plains and the Himalayan mountain. The district combines the
condition of both arctic and desert climate. Therefore Ladakh is often called “
COLD DESERT”
The main features of this COLD DESERT are:
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Wide diurnal and seasonal fluctuations in temperature with -40°C in Winter and +
35°C in Summer
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Precipitation is very low with annual precipitation of 10cm mainly
inform of snow.
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Air is very dry and relative humidity range from 6-24%
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Due to high altitude and low humidity the radiation level is very high. The global solar
radiation is as high as 6-7 Kwh/mm (which is among the highest in the World)
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Dust storms are very common in the afternoon
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Soil is thin , sandy and porous
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The entire are is devoid of any natural vegetation
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Irrigation is mainly through channels from the glacier-melted
snow