66
Question 66
Consider the following statements:
1. The winds which blow between 30° N and 60° S latitudes through-out the year are known as westerlies.
2. The moist air masses that cause winter rains in North-Western region of India are part of westerlies.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
1. The winds which blow between 30° N and 60° S latitudes through-out the year are known as westerlies.
2. The moist air masses that cause winter rains in North-Western region of India are part of westerlies.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
AOptions
A
A) 1 only
B
B) 2 only
C
C) Both 1 and 2
D
D) Neither 1 nor 2
BSolution
Let's analyze the statements regarding winds and winter rains:
- 1. The winds which blow between 30° N and 60° S latitudes throughout the year are known as westerlies. This statement is incorrect. Westerlies are global winds that blow predominantly from the west towards the east in the middle latitudes (between approximately 30° and 60° latitude) in *both* the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The statement incorrectly combines latitude ranges from different hemispheres (30° N and 60° S) and doesn't accurately describe the typical latitudinal band for westerlies in both hemispheres.
- 2. The moist air masses that cause winter rains in North-Western region of India are part of westerlies. This statement is correct. The winter rainfall in the North-Western plains of India (e.g., Punjab, Haryana, parts of Uttar Pradesh) is caused by Western Disturbances. These are extra-tropical storm systems that originate in the Mediterranean region and travel eastward, carried by the subtropical westerly jet stream. These disturbances bring moisture and cause precipitation as they interact with the Himalayas.
Therefore, only statement 2 is correct.
CStrategy
For questions on geographical phenomena like wind systems and climatic patterns, a clear understanding of atmospheric circulation cells and their associated winds (e.g., trade winds, westerlies, polar easterlies) is crucial. Connect these global patterns to regional climatic events (like Western Disturbances causing winter rains).
DSyllabus Analysis
This question falls under Indian Geography, specifically climatology and the factors influencing weather patterns in India.
EQuestion Analysis
Medium. Requires precise knowledge of global wind patterns and their influence on Indian climate.