UPSC Prelims 2001 Q14: Geography – Atmosphere & Climatology
- (a) Mediterranean region
- (b) Monsoon region
- (c) Steppe region
- (d) North - West European region
Answer: (a) Mediterranean region
Explanation
Identifying the climate from the temperature and rainfall data
| Clue in the data | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Rain mostly in November–March | Winter rainfall maximum |
| July–August almost dry (0 cm) | Dry summer |
| Temperature 9.4 to 15.6 °C | Mild winter, cool summer — a coastal station |
| Annual rainfall 54.9 cm | Moderate, as in Mediterranean lands |
Rain falls in winter and summer is dry: that is the signature of the Mediterranean climate. The cool summer (warmest month only about 15 °C, in September) points to a coastal station cooled by a cold current, such as San Francisco in California. Monsoon lands get summer rain, steppes are dry with large ranges, and North-West Europe gets rain all year.
Answer: (a) Mediterranean region.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) CORRECT. Winter rain and a dry summer mark the Mediterranean climate.
- (b) Incorrect. Monsoon regions get most rain in summer, not winter.
- (c) Incorrect. Steppes are dry with a large temperature range.
- (d) Incorrect. North-West Europe gets rain throughout the year.
Key point
Mediterranean climate: 30°–45° latitude on western sides of continents — Mediterranean Sea, California, central Chile, Cape Town, south-west Australia.
Remember
Winter rain + dry summer = Mediterranean climate.
Common mistakes
- Choosing North-West Europe because of the cool temperatures.
- Not noticing that July and August are rainless.
- Choosing monsoon on seeing a seasonal rainfall pattern.
Exam tip
Read rainfall first: summer rain = monsoon; winter rain + dry summer = Mediterranean.
Sources
- NCERT Class XI — Fundamentals of Physical Geography, chapter 'World Climate and Climate Change'
- G. C. Leong — Certificate Physical and Human Geography, chapter 'The Warm Temperate Western Margin (Mediterranean) Climate'