Question:
Consider the following statements:
(1) The cool dry season lasts from mid-September to mid-December in India.
(2) The cyclones in October form over the Bay of Bengal between 8° and 14°N.
(3) The Coromandel coastal region receives more than 90 percent of its rainfall during summer season.
(4) October and November months represent a primary rainy season in Kerala.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
(A) (3) and (4) only
(B) (2) and (4) only
(C) (1) and (2) only
(D) (1) and (3) only
Answer : (B) (2) and (4) only
Analysis of the Statements
Here is a breakdown of the accuracy of each statement regarding India’s climate:
- (1) The cool dry season lasts from mid-September to mid-December in India.
- Incorrect. This period is more accurately known as the Post-Monsoon or Retreating Monsoon season. While temperatures begin to cool, this season is marked by cyclonic activity in the Bay of Bengal and is the main rainy season for some parts of the country. The true cool and dry winter season for most of India begins in December.
- (2) The cyclones in October form over the Bay of Bengal between 8° and 14°N.
- Correct 👍. The post-monsoon months of October and November are the peak season for tropical cyclones in the Bay of Bengal. These cyclones typically form over the warm sea waters in the southern and central parts of the Bay, with the latitudinal range of 8°N to 14°N being the primary zone of cyclogenesis.
- (3) The Coromandel coastal region receives more than 90 percent of its rainfall during summer season.
- Incorrect. This is the opposite of the truth. The Coromandel Coast (southeastern coast, including Tamil Nadu) lies in a rain shadow during the summer Southwest Monsoon. It receives the bulk of its rainfall during the Northeast Monsoon (Retreating Monsoon) in October, November, and December.
- (4) October and November months represent a primary rainy season in Kerala.
- Correct 👍. While Kerala receives its heaviest rainfall from the Southwest Monsoon (June-September), the Northeast Monsoon during October and November is also a significant and distinct rainy season, locally known as Thulavarsham. It is considered the second primary rainy season for the state.