During the cold season, the skies are clear, temperatures and humidity are low and the winds are feeble and variable.

The temperature is higher in the south due to the moderating influence of the sea but decreases as one goes northwards where it ranges between 10° and 15° Celsius. Frost is common in the north and there is snowfall in the higher slopes of the Himalayas. Winds blow from land to sea and are dry except when they pick up moisture from the Bay of Bengal and cause rainfall in Tamil Nadu.

A characteristic feature of the cold weather season is the low-pressure system which enters northwest India from the Mediterranean Sea. These are also known as the temperate or westerly depression cyclones and cause winter rain and snowfall in the hills/mountains. This rain is beneficial for the growth of ‘Rabi’ crops.