Consider the following statements:
- The winds which blow between 30° N and 60° S latitudes through-out the year are known as westerlies.
- 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?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect
- The Westerlies are prevailing winds that occur between 30° and 60° latitudes in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. These winds blow from the subtropical high-pressure belts toward the subpolar low-pressure belts, moving from southwest to northeast in the Northern Hemisphere and from northwest to southeast in the Southern Hemisphere. The westerlies are associated with frequent weather changes and often bring wet spells.
- They are most strongly developed between 40° and 65° south latitudes, where they blow with great intensity over vast stretches of open ocean. These latitudes are famously known as the “Roaring Forties,” “Furious Fifties,” and “Shrieking Sixties,” terms historically used by sailors to describe the strong winds and rough seas. The poleward boundary of the westerlies is highly variable. The westerlies in the Southern Hemisphere are stronger and more persistent due to the large expanse of oceans, whereas in the Northern Hemisphere they are comparatively irregular because of the uneven relief and extensive landmasses.
Statement 2 is correct
- Western Disturbance refers to an extratropical storm originating in the Mediterranean region that impacts India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal. It brings unexpected winter rain and snowfall to the northwestern parts of the Indian subcontinent. This precipitation pattern, distinct from the monsoons, is driven by the Westerly winds.
