The climate of the ecoregion consists of Hot semi-arid (Köppen climate classification (BSh)) and Arid (Köppen climate classification (BWh)) climates. This climate is characteristic of steppes, grasslands, and forests. The temperature includes, hot summers and cool or dry winters. Precipitation averages 500–600 mm/year with heavy rainfalls and evening thunderstorms with the possibility of cloudbursts and flash floods in the monsoon season, late July–August. This being said, it only receives enough rainfall to support scrub. It does not receive enough rainfall to feature in the humid subtropical climate.
Over 90% of the ecoregion has been converted to human use, and the remaining habitat is highly fragmented. There are many protected areas but they are very small and unconnected and even these are liable to invasion for firewood collecting and clearance for planting. However the traditions of the Bishnoi community based in this region extend protection to some wildlife, especially the blackbuck and the tree.[citation needed]
Eric Dinerstein, David Olson, et al. (2017). An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm, BioScience, Volume 67, Issue 6, June 2017, Pages 534–545; Supplemental material 2 table S1b. Dinerstein, Eric; Olson, David; Joshi, Anup; Vynne, Carly; Burgess, Neil D.; Wikramanayake, Eric; Hahn, Nathan; Palminteri, Suzanne; Hedao, Prashant; Noss, Reed; Hansen, Matt (June 2017). "An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm". BioScience. 67 (6): 534–545. doi:10.1093/biosci/bix014. ISSN 0006-3568. PMC 5451287. PMID 28608869. Champion, H. G., and S. K. Seth. 1968. A revised survey of the forest types of India. Government of India Press
Puri, G.S., Gupta, R.K., and Meher-Homji, V.M.P.S. 1989. Forest Ecology Volume 2. New Delhi, India: Oxford & IBH Publishing Company