CAPF AC 2020 Q98: Geography – Atmosphere & Climatology
According to Koppen’s climatic classifications of India, Great Northern Plains are represented by
- (a) Cwg Climate
- (b) Aw Climate
- (c) Amw Climate
- (d) As Climate
Answer: (a) Cwg Climate
Explanation
Koeppen's climate types in India
How to think: read the letters.
A is a hot tropical climate with no cool season.
C is a warm temperate climate with a cool winter.
The northern plains have a real winter, so the answer must start with C.
| Code | Type | Region of India |
|---|---|---|
| Amw | Monsoon with short dry season | West coast south of Goa |
| As | Monsoon with dry summer | Coromandel coast of Tamil Nadu |
| Aw | Tropical savannah | Most of the Peninsular plateau |
| BShw | Semi-arid steppe | North-western Gujarat, parts of western Rajasthan and Punjab |
| BWhw | Hot desert | Extreme western Rajasthan |
| Cwg | Monsoon with dry winter | Ganga plain, eastern Rajasthan, northern Madhya Pradesh, most of the North-east |
| Dfc | Cold humid winter, short summer | Arunachal Pradesh |
| E | Polar type | Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand |
In Cwg: w means dry winter and g means the hottest month comes before the rains (Gangetic type).
Answer: (a) Cwg Climate.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) CORRECT. Cwg is the monsoon type with dry winters found over the Ganga plain.
- (b) Incorrect. Aw is the tropical savannah of the Peninsular plateau.
- (c) Incorrect. Amw is the type of the west coast south of Goa.
- (d) Incorrect. As is the dry-summer type of the Coromandel coast.
Key point
Koeppen in India: Amw (west coast), As (Coromandel coast), Aw (Peninsular plateau), BShw (semi-arid), BWhw (desert), Cwg (Ganga plain), Dfc (Arunachal Pradesh), E (high Himalaya).
Remember
Ganga plain = Cwg (dry winter, g for Gangetic).
Common mistakes
- Choosing Aw for the northern plains; it lies south of the Tropic of Cancer.
- Mixing up As (dry summer, Tamil Nadu coast) with Aw (dry winter).
- Not reading the letters: A is tropical, C is warm temperate.
Exam tip
Educated guess: three options start with A, the hot tropical group. The plains have a winter, so the lone C option fits.
Sources
- NCERT Class XI Geography — India: Physical Environment (Climate: Koeppen's scheme)
- NCERT Class XI Geography — Fundamentals of Physical Geography (World Climate and Climate Change)