UPSC CSE Prelims
Climatology Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
Showing solved Previous Year Questions for Chapter: Climatology
Topic Breakdown: Scroll →
The seasonal reversal of winds is the typical characteristic of -
Detailed Explanation:
Monsoon climate is characterized by seasonal reversal of winds – in summer, winds blow from ocean to land bringing heavy rainfall, and in winter, winds blow from land to ocean bringing dry conditions.
Equatorial climate has convectional rainfall throughout the year with no seasonal wind reversal, while Mediterranean climate experiences westerlies in winter and subtropical high pressure in summer, not true wind reversal.
The annual range of temperature in the interior of the continents is high as compared to coastal areas. What is/are the reason/reasons?
- Thermal difference between land and water
- Variation in altitude between continents and oceans
- Presence of strong winds in the interior
- Heavy rains in the interior as compared to coasts
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Thermal difference between land and water is the primary reason. Land has low specific heat capacity and heats/cools rapidly, while water has high specific heat capacity causing slow temperature changes. Coastal areas experience moderating effect from oceans, reducing annual temperature range, whereas continental interiors lack this maritime influence and show extreme seasonal variations.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: Variation in altitude affects absolute temperature but does not explain the difference in annual range between coast and interior. Both regions have altitude variations.
❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: Strong winds in the interior do not cause higher annual range; rather, coastal winds help moderate temperatures by bringing maritime influence.
❌ Statement 4 – Incorrect: Coastal areas typically receive more rainfall than continental interiors due to moisture from oceans. Rainfall does not explain higher temperature range inland.
During a thunderstorm, the thunder in the skies is produced by the
- Meeting of cumulonimbus clouds in the sky
- Lightning that separates the nimbus clouds
- Violent upward movement of air and water particles
Select the correct answer using the codes given below
Detailed Explanation:
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: The meeting of cumulonimbus clouds does not produce thunder; thunder is caused by lightning, not cloud collision.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: Lightning does not separate clouds; rather, the intense heat from lightning causes rapid air expansion, which produces thunder.
❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: Violent upward movement of air and water particles creates storm conditions and lightning, but thunder itself is the sound wave from lightning-heated air expansion.
Correct mechanism: Thunder is produced when lightning heats the surrounding air to approximately 30,000°C, causing it to expand explosively and create a shock wave heard as sound.
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Normally, the temperature decreases with the increase in height from the Earth’s surface, because
- the atmosphere can be heated upwards only from the Earth’s surface
- there is more moisture in the upper atmosphere
- the air is less dense in the upper atmosphere
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: The atmosphere is transparent to incoming solar radiation but is primarily heated from below by long-wave terrestrial radiation emitted from Earth's surface, making lower layers warmer.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: Water vapor and moisture are concentrated in the lower atmosphere (troposphere), not the upper atmosphere, which is significantly drier.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: At higher altitudes, air pressure decreases making air less dense; rising air expands and undergoes adiabatic cooling, and thinner air has lower capacity to absorb and retain heat.
Which one of the following is the characteristic climate of the Tropical Savannah Region?
Detailed Explanation:
Tropical Savannah Climate (Köppen classification Aw) is characterized by a distinct wet season (summer months with heavy rainfall) and a distinct dry season (winter months with little to no rainfall).
This climate is found in regions like the African Savannah, Brazilian Cerrado, and parts of India, where the seasonal migration of ITCZ (Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone) causes alternating wet and dry periods.
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