UPSC CSE 2024 · PYQ · Climatology / Temperature Distribution · medium
Which of the following is/are correct inference/inferences from isothermal maps in the month of January?
1. The isotherms deviate to the north over the ocean and to the south over the continent.
2. The presence of cold ocean currents, Gulf Stream and North Atlantic Drift make the North Atlantic Ocean colder and the isotherms bend towards the north.
Select the answer using the code given below:
A.1 only✓ Correct
B.2 only
C.Both 1 and 2
D.Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation
In January (Northern Hemisphere winter), continents become much colder than oceans because land loses heat faster. As a result, isotherms bend southward (equatorward) over continents and northward (poleward) over oceans, making statement 1 correct. Statement 2 is incorrect because the Gulf Stream and North Atlantic Drift are WARM currents, not cold; they make the North Atlantic Ocean WARMER (not colder) and cause isotherms to bend northward due to warmth, not due to cold.
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