UPSC Prelims 2015 Question:

Consider the following statements:

1. The winds which blow between 30° N and 60° S latitudes through-out the year are known as westerlies.
2. The moist air masses that cause winter rains in North-Western region of India are part of westerlies.
   
   

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Explanation:

• The Westerlies, occur at two regions on Earth: between 30°N and 60°N degrees latitude in the Northern Hemisphere and between 30°S and 60°S degrees latitude in the Southern Hemisphere. The name of these unique winds comes from the direction of their origin; the westerlies run west to east while other winds run east to west. So, statement 1 is not correct.
  
  
• The western cyclonic disturbances are weather phenomena of the winter months brought in by the westerlies from the Mediterranean region. They usually influence the weather of the north and north-western regions of India. So, statement 2 is correct.
  
  

Therefore, option (2) is the correct answer.

Subject: Geography | Climate Weather and Atmosphere