<P> India's northernmost areas are subject to a montane, or alpine, climate . In the Himalayas, the rate at which an air mass's temperature falls per kilometre (3,281 ft) of altitude gained (the dry adiabatic lapse rate) is 9.8 ° C / km . In terms of environmental lapse rate, ambient temperatures fall by 6.5 ° C (11.7 ° F) for every 1,000 metres (3,281 ft) rise in altitude . Thus, climates ranging from nearly tropical in the foothills to tundra above the snow line can coexist within several hundred metres of each other . Sharp temperature contrasts between sunny and shady slopes, high diurnal temperature variability, temperature inversions, and altitude - dependent variability in rainfall are also common . </P> <P> The northern side of the western Himalayas, also known as the trans - Himalayan belt, has a cold desert climate . It is a region of barren, arid, frigid and wind - blown wastelands . Areas south of the Himalayas are largely protected from cold winter winds coming in from the Asian interior . The leeward side (northern face) of the mountains receives less rain . </P> <P> The southern slopes of the western Himalayas, well - exposed to the monsoon, get heavy rainfall . Areas situated at elevations of 1,070--2,290 metres (3,510--7,510 ft) receive the heaviest rainfall, which decreases rapidly at elevations above 2,290 metres (7,513 ft). Most precipitation occurs as snowfall during the late winter and spring months. The Himalayas experience their heaviest snowfall between December and February and at elevations above 1,500 metres (4,921 ft). Snowfall increases with elevation by up to several dozen millimetres per 100 metre (~ 2 in; 330 ft) increase . Elevations above 6,000 metres (19,685 ft) never experience rain; all precipitation falls as snow . </P> <P> The India Meteorological Department (IMD) designates four climatological seasons: </P>

During winter which part of india receives rainfall