Climate & Monsoon — Set 1
Geography · जलवायु और मानसून · Questions 1–10 of 50
Which of the following terms is used for the pre-monsoon showers in Karnataka and Kerala that help in the early ripening of mangoes?
Correct Answer: A. Mango Showers
• **Mango Showers** = pre-monsoon rains in Karnataka and Kerala that assist in the early ripening of mango crop. • **Karnataka and Kerala** — the two states where Mango Showers are a regular seasonal feature before the monsoon arrives. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Bardoli Chheerha: the local name for pre-monsoon storms in Assam, not Karnataka/Kerala; Kalbaisakhi: violent thunderstorms in West Bengal, not related to mango ripening; Loo: hot dry winds of North Indian plains, not a rain phenomenon.
The intense hot and dry winds blowing in the Northern plains of India during the summer are known as?
Correct Answer: C. Loo
• **Loo** = strong, hot, and dry summer afternoon winds blowing over the Indo-Gangetic Plain, causing heatstroke risk. • **May and June** — the peak months when Loo winds are most intense across North India. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Sirocco: hot Mediterranean wind, not an Indian wind; Chinook: warm dry wind of Rocky Mountains (USA/Canada); Mistral: cold dry wind of southern France, not India.
Which mountain range acts as a barrier to the moisture-laden Southwest Monsoon winds, causing heavy rainfall on the Konkan coast?
Correct Answer: B. Western Ghats
• **Western Ghats** = act as a barrier to the Arabian Sea branch of the Southwest Monsoon, causing heavy orographic rainfall on the Konkan and Malabar coasts. • **Windward vs leeward** — the western (windward) side of the Ghats gets heavy rain; the eastern (leeward) side remains a rain-shadow area. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Eastern Ghats: lower, discontinuous, do not effectively intercept monsoon; Satpura Range: lies further inland, not the first barrier on the coast; Aravalli Range: lies parallel to monsoon winds, does not cause rainfall.
The 'Kalbaisakhi' or 'Nor'westers' are violent thunderstorms that occur primarily in which state?
Correct Answer: A. West Bengal
• **Kalbaisakhi (Nor'westers)** = violent localized thunderstorms in West Bengal during the pre-monsoon season of Baisakh (April-May). • **Tea, jute, and rice cultivation** — the three crops significantly helped by Kalbaisakhi rains in West Bengal. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Punjab: experiences Loo winds in summer, not Kalbaisakhi; Rajasthan: receives hot dry weather, no such thunderstorms; Tamil Nadu: receives rain from NE monsoon in winter, not Kalbaisakhi.
Which region in India receives the bulk of its rainfall during the winter months from the North-East monsoon?
Correct Answer: B. Coromandel Coast
• **Coromandel Coast (Tamil Nadu)** = receives the bulk of its rainfall during October-November from the retreating NE monsoon picking up Bay of Bengal moisture. • **October-November** — the peak rainfall months for the Coromandel Coast from the North-East monsoon. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Malabar Coast: receives rainfall from SW monsoon in summer, not NE monsoon primarily; Gujarat Coast: receives limited SW monsoon rain, dries out early; Konkan Coast: heavy SW monsoon rain in summer, not the NE monsoon.
The burst of monsoon in India is characterized by a sudden increase in rainfall. It usually arrives first in which state?
Correct Answer: D. Kerala
• **Kerala** = the first state to receive the Southwest Monsoon, typically in the first week of June — called the 'burst' or 'onset' of the monsoon. • **First week of June** — the standard arrival date of the monsoon on the Kerala coast, marking the transition to the rainy season. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Goa: receives monsoon shortly after Kerala, not first; Maharashtra: second in line after Kerala/Goa; West Bengal: receives Bay of Bengal branch around the same time as Kerala but onset is declared at Kerala.
Mawsynram, the wettest place on Earth, is located in which hills of Meghalaya?
Correct Answer: A. Khasi Hills
• **Mawsynram in Khasi Hills, Meghalaya** = world's wettest place due to its funnel-like topography trapping Bay of Bengal moisture clouds. • **Funnel-shaped topography** — Mawsynram's unique terrain channels moisture-laden clouds, causing exceptionally heavy orographic precipitation. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Garo Hills: in Meghalaya but Mawsynram is in Khasi Hills; Jaintia Hills: another Meghalaya range but not the location of Mawsynram; Mikir Hills: located in Assam, not Meghalaya.
What is the primary cause of the 'Western Disturbances' that bring rain to Northwest India during winter?
Correct Answer: B. Cyclonic storms from the Mediterranean Sea
• **Western Disturbances** = shallow cyclonic depressions originating over the Mediterranean Sea that bring winter rain to NW India and snowfall to the Himalayas. • **Mediterranean Sea origin** — the source region of Western Disturbances, which then travel eastward into the Indian subcontinent. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Local heating: causes summer convective rains, not winter cyclones; Retreating monsoon: brings rain to SE India (Tamil Nadu) in winter, not NW India; Arabian Sea cyclones: seasonal events, not the cause of winter rain in NW India.
Which periodic climate pattern is associated with the warming of sea surface temperatures in the Pacific and often causes monsoon failure in India?
Correct Answer: B. El Niño
• **El Nino** = abnormal warming of the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean that often weakens the Indian monsoon, causing drought-like conditions. • **Strong correlation with drought** — historical data confirms El Nino years frequently coincide with below-normal rainfall over India. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Trade Winds: steady equatorial winds, not a warming event; Jet Stream: upper atmospheric wind, influences monsoon onset but is not a warming phenomenon; La Nina: the opposite of El Nino (cooling of Pacific), often linked to above-normal Indian rainfall.
The 'October Heat' in India is a phenomenon occurring during the transition period of which season?
Correct Answer: A. Retreating Monsoon
• **October Heat** = oppressive heat and humidity during the retreating monsoon when skies clear but ground remains moist. • **Retreating monsoon transition** — the period when the monsoon withdraws and clear skies combine with soil moisture to create intense discomfort. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Onset of Monsoon: happens in June, brings relief from heat; Peak Winter: characterized by cold and dry conditions; Early Summer: hot but not humid like October.