Rohilkhand & Katehar · Upper Indus–Gangetic Plain
Terrain and eco-zones
Humid subtropical, and the wettest stretch of the plain west of Bihar — 1,000 to 1,400 mm a year, rising as you approach the hills, with heavy dew and thick winter fog. January nights fall to 3–5 °C, and May afternoons reach 43–45 °C, though the terai edge stays several degrees cooler and much more humid.
Landforms
Level Gangetic alluvium, better watered than the Doab to its westBhabar — the porous gravel apron at the foot of the hills, where rivers sink undergroundTerai — the swampy belt below the bhabar where those rivers re-emerge, historically malarial and forestedSal and sissoo forest along the northern edge, now confined to the protected areasGanga khadar along the western boundary
Rivers and waters
Ramganga — the region's own river, Himalayan-fed and the axis of the plainGanga — the western boundarySharda (Kali) — the eastern boundary and the border with Nepal at BanbasaGomti's headwaters, rising from the region's marshesKosi, Bhakra, Deoha, Garra and Bahgul
Through the year
| Season | Months | Typical | What it is like |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | November–February | 4–24 °C | Cold, damp and heavily fogged, with dew that persists all morning. Cane crushing, the urs season at Bareilly and the best birdwatching in the terai. |
| Summer | March–June | 26–45 °C | Hot but shorter than further south, and the terai stays humid rather than dry. Mango season through Amroha and Bijnor from late June. |
| Monsoon | July–September | 26–34 °C | The heaviest rainfall on the plain. Rivers coming off the hills rise fast and flood the terai; roads north of Pilibhit become unreliable. |
| Post-monsoon | October | 20–32 °C | Clear and green; the forest opens to visitors from mid-November. |
Best time to visitNovember to March for the towns and the forests both. The Urs-e-Razavi at Bareilly follows the Islamic calendar and fills the city; Pilibhit Tiger Reserve is closed through the monsoon.
The climate, landforms, rivers and seasons of Rohilkhand & Katehar, and the best time of year to visit. (4)