Geography · General Awareness

Indian Climate and Seasons

1,409 Questions

The Indian climate is characterized by distinct seasonal variations, primarily driven by the southwest and retreating monsoons. Geography questions often focus on rainfall distribution, regional climate types, and pressure gradients. Solving these questions helps in understanding the underlying factors affecting Indian weather.

Tropical monsoon climateMonsoon wind directionRegional rainfall distributionPressure gradientsLocation and relief factors

Indian Climate and Seasons Questions

Multiple choice

The retreating monsoon withdraws itself from

  1. the South Coast to the North Coast

  2. the North Coast to the South Coast

  3. the West Coast to North-East India

  4. North-West India to Bengal and then to Kerala
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The retreating monsoon withdraws itself from North-West India to Bengal and then to Kerala. Withdrawal or the retreat of the monsoon is a more gradual process. The withdrawal of the monsoon begins in northwestern states of India by early September. By mid-October, it withdraws completely from the northern half of the peninsula. The withdrawal from the southern half of the peninsula is fairly rapid. By early December, the monsoon has withdrawn from the rest of the country.

Multiple choice

India has an endless growing season because                

  1. it experiences the monsoonal type of climate

  2. its soils are very fertile, the greater part being alluvial

  3. temperatures throughout the year are favourable for growth of plants

  4. it gets rainfall even in the winters

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

India has endless growing season because temperatures throughout the year are favourable for growth of plants.

Multiple choice

La Nina is suspected to have caused recent floods in Australia. How is La Nina different from EI Nino?

  1. La Nia is characterised by unusually cold ocean temperature in equatorial Indian Ocean whereas EI Nino is characterised by unusually warm ocean temperature in the equatorial Pacific Ocean.
  2. El Nino has adverse effect on southwest monsoon of India, but La Nina has no effect on monsoon climate.

Which of the statements given above is/ correct?

  1. 1 only

  2. 2 only

  3. Both 1 and 2

  4. Neither 1 nor 2
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect. El Niño/La Niña-Southern Oscillation, or ENSO, is a quasi-periodic climate pattern that occurs across the tropical Pacific Ocean roughly every five years. It is characterised by variations in the temperature of the surface of the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean—warming or cooling known as El Niño and La Niña, respectively. The two variations are coupled: the warm oceanic phase, El Niño, accompanies high air surface pressure in the western Pacific, while the cold phase, La Niña, accompanies low air surface pressure in the western Pacific. Statement 2 is also incorrect. Direct effects of El Niño resulting in drier conditions occur in parts of Southeast Asia and Northern Australia, increasing bush fires and worsening haze and decreasing air quality dramatically. Drier than normal conditions are also generally observed in Queensland, inland Victoria, inland New South Wales and eastern Tasmania from June to August. During La Niña years, the formation of tropical cyclones, along with the subtropical ridge position, shifts westward across the western Pacific ocean, which increases the landfall threat to China.

Multiple choice

The temperature of Thiruvananthapuram is lower than that of Mumbai in May and higher than that of Mumbai in January, because

  1. Thiruvananthapuram has cold current and Mumbai is faced with warm current

  2. Thiruvananthapuram has higher rainfall in summer and it is nearer to the equator

  3. Thiruvananthapuram is on the windward side and Mumbai is on the leeward side

  4. Thiruvananthapuram is thickly vegetated while Mumbai is not
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

 Thiruvananthpuram has lower temperature than Mumbai in May because of higher rainfall in summer. Since it is nearer to equator it has higher temperature than that of Mumbai in January.

Multiple choice

Consider the following statements:

1.         Cherrapunji is the wettest place on Earth and the only place in India to receive rainfall throughout the year. 2.         East Khasi Hill nestles wettest places like Cherrapunji and Mawsynram.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only

  2. 2 only

  3. Both 1 and 2

  4. Neither 1 nor 2
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Statement 1: It is incorrect. Cherrapunji is the second wettest on Earth after Mawsynram. It is about 50 km from Shillong in East Khasi Hill. Mawsynram is reported to be the wettest place on Earth. It has a reported average annual rainfall of 467.4 Inches (11,872 millimeters). Statement 2: It is correct. Mawsynram is a village in the East Khasi district of Meghalaya state in the North-East part of India. It’s about 65 kilometers from Shillong. Hence, the correct option is 2.

Multiple choice

Temperature and rainfall data of a meteorological station is given below:

 
Temperature (0°C) Rainfall (cm)
J 9.4 122
F 10.6 9.1
M 11.7 7.9
A 12.2 2.5
M 13.3 1.0
J 13.9 0.3
J 13.9 -
A 14.4 -
S 15.6 0.8
15.0 2.5
N 13.3 6.1
D 10.6 11.7

Average temperature: 12.8oC Average rainfall: 54.9 cm per annum

Identify the region having the above climatic patterns.

  1. Mediterranean region

  2. Monsoon region

  3. Steppe region

  4. N.W. European region
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The data shows a warm, dry summer (June-August) and a cool, wet winter (December-January). This pattern of winter rainfall and summer drought is the hallmark of the Mediterranean climate.

Multiple choice

Consider the following statements:

  1. In equatorial regions, a year is divided into four main seasons.
  2. In Mediterranean region, summer months receive more rainfall.
  3. In China type climate, rainfall occurs throughout the year.
  4. Tropical highlands exhibit vertical zonation of different climates.

Which of the above statements are correct?

  1. 1, 2, 3 and 4

  2. 1, 2 and 3

  3. 1, 2 and 4

  4. 3 and 4
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

1st statement is wrong. Equatorial region has only two seasons. 2nd statement is wrong as Mediterranean gets rainfall during winter season too.

Multiple choice

For short-term climatic predictions, which of the following events, detected in the last decade, is associated with occasional weak monsoon rains in the Indian sub-continent?

  1. La Nina

  2. Movement of jet stream

  3. EI Nino and southern oscillations

  4. Greenhouse effect at global level
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Movement of jet stream affects the monsoon rain in India. Jet stream is a strong and rapidly moving circumpolar westerly air extending upto troposphere, having meandering course. The upper air westerly jet stream bifurcates into two as it flows over Indian sub-continent.

Multiple choice

The graph given below shows the mean average monthly temperatures (in oC) and mean monthly rainfall (in cms) of a place.

This graph is indicative of which climatic zone of the world?

  1. Wet and dry tropical

  2. Rainy tropical

  3. Semi-arid tropical

  4. Temperate marine
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

In the graph, the temperature ranges from 15o to 25o C. So, the graph indicates wet and dry tropical region, and in this region, rainfall does not exceed 25 cm.

Multiple choice

The following have been proposed as the climatic regions of India by Koppen:

  1. Aw
  2. Cwg
  3. As
  4. E Which one of the following is the correct sequence of the climatic regions given above as they occur from south to north India ?

  1. 3-1-2-4

  2. 2-4-3-1

  3. 3-4-2-1

  4. 2-1-3-4

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

According to Koppen's classification, As (Monsoon with dry summer) is in the extreme south (Tamil Nadu coast), Aw (Tropical Savanna) is in the peninsula, Cwg (Monsoon with dry winter) is in the Gangetic plains, and E (Polar/Alpine) is in the northern Himalayas.

Multiple choice

Which among the following is/are the major factor/factors responsible for the monsoon type of climate in India ?

  1. Location
  2. Thermal contrast
  3. Upper air circulation
  4. Inter-tropical convergence zone Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. 1 only

  2. 2 and 3 only

  3. 2,3 and 4 only

  4. 1,2,3 and 4

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The Indian monsoon is a complex phenomenon influenced by the country's location, the thermal contrast between land and sea, upper air circulation (jet streams), and the shifting of the ITCZ.