Indian Monsoon
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Operational Extended Range Forecast (ERF) system of IMD is crucial for predicting wet and dry spells, often lasting one to two weeks, known as intra-seasonal oscillations. What is the dominant periodicity (in days) associated with the sub-seasonal variability of monsoon rainfall?
Options:
Option: B
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The weakening of the monsoon circulation over Northeast India is due to a strong decreasing trend in low-level wind convergence, even though the total column precipitable water content is increasing. This is explained by climate change associated with large-scale descending motion over the Northeast Indian region (NEI) and large-scale ascending motion over which other region?
Options:
Option: B
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Onset date of the Southwest Monsoon in Kerala is a major metric tracked annually. For the 2024 season, the actual onset date occurred 4 days in advance of the normal date. What is the normal date by which the monsoon covers the entire state of Maharashtra?
Options:
Option: C
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In the classification of cyclonic disturbances used by IMD, a ‘Low Pressure Area’ (LPA) is defined by a maximum sustained wind speed below a certain threshold. What is the maximum sustained wind speed (in knots) that defines an LPA?
Options:
Option: A
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The concept of “vagaries” highlights the unpredictable nature of monsoon rain. While the total annual rainfall may be average, problems arise due to skewed distribution. What characteristic describes the sudden change in weather conditions, typically from hot and dry to wet and humid, at the start of the Southwest Monsoon?
Options:
Option: C
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IMD’s forecast verification for the 2024 monsoon showed that the Extended Range Forecast (ERF) was highly skillful for agricultural advisories. The skill of the ERF is considered “very skillful” for up to how many weeks at the meteorological sub-division level for predicting rainfall categories?
Options:
Option: B
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The monsoon is intricately linked to India’s agricultural calendar. Farmers rely on timely rains for the Kharif season. Which two staple Kharif crops, noted for requiring high water quantity, are typically cultivated during the Southwest Monsoon season?
Options:
Option: B
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The lengthening of the rainy season (LRS) is one mechanism identified for the observed increase in rainfall over Northwest India (NWI) due to climate change. By how many days is the rainy season lengthening in NWI during the Historical period?
Options:
Option: C
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India Meteorological Department (IMD) continuously strengthens its ground observation network. The total number of District-wise Rainfall Monitoring Scheme (DRMS) stations saw a significant increase between 2014 and 2023. Approximately how many DRMS stations were active in 2023?
Options:
Option: C
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Southwest monsoon withdrawal commenced from West Rajasthan on September 23rd, 2024 (a delay of 6 days). The SWM withdrawal process involves satisfying several atmospheric conditions, including the formation of which type of circulation in the lower troposphere?
Options:
Option: B
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The total seasonal rainfall of 108% of LPA in 2024 suggests a good monsoon year. However, rainfall variability is tracked region-wise. During 2024, the Central India region recorded the highest positive departure, contributing significantly to the national average. What percentage of LPA did Central India receive?
Options:
Option: C
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Severe weather events like thunderstorms are closely monitored. Recent data (post-2018) shows a shift in the hotspot for lightning activity in India. Which region is now witnessing more frequent lightning events, replacing the historical hotspot of Northeast India?
Options:
Option: B
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Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is key to monsoon mechanics, acting as the zone of ascending air, greatest clouds, and heavy rainfall. In its position over the Indo-Gangetic Plain during July, what term is the ITCZ referred to?
Options:
Option: C
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The impact of a strong monsoon is often linked to the performance of major tropical weather systems. During the 2024 monsoon, 14 Low Pressure Systems formed, including one system that intensified into a Cyclonic Storm (CS). What was the name given to this Cyclonic Storm?
Options:
Option: C
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The retreat of the southwest monsoon involves the low-pressure trough shifting southward. In the extreme south, the withdrawal is complete from the Coromandel coast by mid-December. The entire withdrawal process starts from the North Indian peninsula in October and is fully completed by which month?
Options:
Option: C
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The process of monsoon creation, according to the Dynamic Theory, involves the shift of the ITCZ under the influence of the vertical sun toward the Tropic of Cancer. This mechanism causes the winds to move from the relatively high-pressure zone over the Indian Ocean toward the low-pressure zone over Northern India. What pressure zone is created off India’s southern coastline due to the Indian Ocean heating up slowly?
Options:
Option: B
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India’s agricultural reliance on the monsoon is significant, leading to climate-sensitive budgeting requirements. Which type of advanced weather information delivery method is highlighted as cost-effective and efficient for delivering weather-based agro-advisories to farmers at a large scale?
Options:
Option: C
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The westward expansion of Indian monsoon rainfall is observed to be driven by greenhouse gas (GHG) forcing, according to climate change studies. The increase in rainfall over Northwest India (NWI) is due to lengthening the rainy season and increasing the frequency of events within which daily rainfall range?
Options:
Option: B
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Global climate analysis suggests that the intensity of extreme rain events (99.9 percentile) is sharply increasing due to rising global temperatures. By what approximate percentage is the intensity of these extreme rainfall events estimated to increase for every 1 Kelvin (K) rise in global temperature?
Options:
Option: C
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We know the term “monsoon” implies a seasonal reversal of winds, and this definition is widely accepted by meteorological bodies. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the monsoon specifically refers to the seasonal reversal of wind direction along the shores of which large body of water, particularly the Arabian Sea?
Options:
Option: B