IAS General Studies Prelims Question No. 12
Here we find hot dry summers and warm wet winters. There are no rains in summer except occasional thunderstorms. Almost all rains are in winter. The vegetation in this climate is characterized by shrubs and small deciduous trees like the scrub oak. Identify the climate from the quotation given above.
[A] Tropical monsoon climate
[B] Mediterranean climate
[C] Humid continental climate
[D] Tropical Savanah
[toggles][toggle title=”Answer”]
[B] Mediterranean climate
Warm wet winters are hallmark of Mediterranean climate. During summer, regions of Mediterranean climate are dominated by subtropical high pressure cells, with dry sinking air capping a surface marine layer of varying humidity and making rainfall impossible or unlikely except for the occasional thunderstorm, while during winter the polar jet stream and associated periodic storms reach into the lower latitudes of the Mediterranean zones, bringing rain, with snow at higher elevations. As a result, areas with this climate receive almost all of their precipitation during their winter season, and may go anywhere from 4 to 6 months during the summer without having any significant precipitation. (Wikipedia)
[/toggle][/toggles]Warm wet winters are hallmark of Mediterranean climate. During summer, regions of Mediterranean climate are dominated by subtropical high pressure cells, with dry sinking air capping a surface marine layer of varying humidity and making rainfall impossible or unlikely except for the occasional thunderstorm, while during winter the polar jet stream and associated periodic storms reach into the lower latitudes of the Mediterranean zones, bringing rain, with snow at higher elevations. As a result, areas with this climate receive almost all of their precipitation during their winter season, and may go anywhere from 4 to 6 months during the summer without having any significant precipitation. (Wikipedia)