Geography · General Awareness

Indian Climate and Seasons

1,515 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

Which of the following characteristics is related to Mediterranean?

  1. Torrential rainfall throughout the year

  2. Hot and dry summer, mild and wet winter

  3. Rainfall in summer, dry winter

  4. Cloud burst in summer
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The Mediterranean climate is characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters, due to subtropical high pressure in summer and westerly winds in winter. This pattern is distinct from monsoon systems (summer rain) or regions with year-round rainfall.

Multiple choice

Which of the following weather phenomena of the winter months in India is/are brought in by the westerly flow from the Mediterranean region?

  1. Pressure and surface winds

  2. North easterly winds

  3. Western cyclonic disturbances

  4. Sub-tropical easterly jet stream

  5. Southern oscillations
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

This is the correct answer as the western cyclonic disturbances are a weather phenomena of the winter months brought in by the westerly flow from the Mediterranean region.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is called the monsoon trough in the monsoon season?

  1. The differential heating and cooling of land and water creates low pressure on the landmass of India while the seas around experience comparatively high pressure.

  2. The shift of the position of Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) in summer, over the Ganga plain which is normally positioned about 5°N of the equator.

  3. The presence of the high-pressure area, east of Madagascar, approximately at 20°S over the Indian Ocean.

  4. The strong vertical air currents and the formation of low pressure over the Tibetian plateau at about 9 km above sea level.

  5. The presence of the tropical easterly jet stream over the Indian peninsula during summer.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

This is the correct answer as this equatorial trough is called the monsoon trough.

Multiple choice

What is 'mahawat'?

  1. It is winter rainfall.

  2. It is the pre-monsoon shower.

  3. It is the advancing monsoon.

  4. It is the retreating monsoon.

  5. It is the localised thunderstorm during the winter season.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

This is the correct answer as winter rainfall is locally known as ‘mahawat’.

Multiple choice

Why is the delta region of the eastern coast frequently struck by cyclones?

  1. Because the Bay of Bengal is the centre of various pressure changes

  2. Because the pressure changes in Arabian sea travel east and cause cyclonic disturbances

  3. Because of the movements of low pressure conditions in the Bay of Bengal

  4. Because low-pressure conditions over the northern plains attract the trade winds from the southern hemisphere

  5. Because high-pressure systems that originate over the Mediterranean Sea and Western Asia and move into India
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

This is the correct answer. The Bay of Bengal is the centre of various pressure changes and hence, there is always a chance of development of cyclonic disturbances.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is/are correct about the seasonal reversal of wind direction over the Indian subcontinent?

a. As the monsoon winds move towards west, their moisture content tends to reduce with subsequent rains which causes the seasonal reversal of wind direction. b. The pressure differential such as El Nino causes the seasonal reversal of wind direction over the Indian subcontinent. c. The broad trough of low pressure in the equatorial ITCZ causes the seasonal reversal of wind direction over the Indian subcontinent.

  1. a only

  2. b only

  3. c only

  4. a and c

  5. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

This is the correct answer as the pressure differential such as El Nino causes the seasonal reversal of wind direction over the Indian subcontinent.

Multiple choice

A phenomenon associated with the monsoon is its tendency to have ‘breaks’ in rainfall. Why do these breaks happen?

  1. An elongated low-pressure area develops extending from the Thar Desert in the northwest to Patna and Chotanagpur plateau in the east and southeast causing troughs that cause breaks.

  2. The southeast trade winds blow in a south westerly direction causing troughs that cause breaks.

  3. When the axis of the monsoon trough lies over the plains, monsoon breaks occur.

  4. The tropical depressions over Bay of Bengal cause monsoon breaks over the northern plains.

  5. The movement of the monsoon trough and its axis keeps on moving northward or southward causing spatial distribution of rain.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

This is the correct answer. This spatial difference of rainfall is called monsoon break when it is interspersed with rainless intervals.

Multiple choice

Which of the following statements is/are incorrect?

a. Localised thunderstorms during the winter months in the southern part of the country are called Kaal Baisakhi. b. Pre-monsoon showers help in early ripening of mangoes and are called mango showers in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. c. The strong, gusty, hot and dry winds blowing during the day over north and northwestern India are called loo.

  1. a only

  2. b only

  3. c only

  4. a and b

  5. b and c
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

This is the correct answer as both the statements are incorrect. The localised thunderstorms associated with violent winds, torrential downpours, often accompanied by hail, are known as ‘Kaal Baisakhi' in West Bengal. Pre-monsoon showers in Kerala and Karnataka help in the early ripening of mangoes, and are often referred to as mango showers.

Multiple choice

The most plausible explanation of the location of the Thar desert in Western India is

  1. the obstruction caused by the Aravallis to the rain bearing wind that proceeds to the Ganga Valley

  2. the evaporation of moisture by heat

  3. the absence of mountains to the north of Rajasthan to cause orographic rainfall in it

  4. that the moisture carried by the south-west monsoon is driven away by the dry upper air current
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The Thar Desert exists primarily because Rajasthan lacks significant mountain ranges to its north. Without mountains, there's no orographic effect - monsoon winds don't rise and cool to cause rainfall. The Aravallis are too low and run parallel to monsoon winds, making them ineffective barriers. Without orographic lift, moisture continues inland, leaving Rajasthan arid.