Cyclones and Anti-cyclones MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for Cyclones and Anti-cyclones - Download Free PDF

Important Points

• Cyclone is a region of low atmospheric pressure surrounded by high atmospheric pressure resulting in swirling atmospheric disturbance accompanied by powerful winds blowing in an anticlockwise direction in the Northern Hemisphere and in the clockwise direction in the Southern Hemisphere.
• They occur mainly in the tropical and temperate regions of the world.
• Cyclones are called by various names in different parts of the world as mentioned inbox on the next page.

Key PointsCyclones are known by different names in different parts of the world:

• Typhoons in the Northwest Pacific Ocean west of the dateline
• Hurricanes in the North Atlantic Ocean, the Northeast Pacific Ocean east of the dateline, or the South Pacific Ocean.
• Tropical cyclones - the Southwest Pacific Ocean and Southeast Indian Ocean.
• Severe cyclonic storm” (the North Indian Ocean)
• Tropical cyclone (the Southwest Indian Ocean)
• Willie-Willie in Australia
• Tornado in South America

Hence, the regional name of the tropical cyclone in Australia is Willie-Willie.

The correct answer is Qatar.

Key Points

• The cyclone "Dana" was named by Qatar as part of the practice of naming cyclones in the northern Indian Ocean region.
• The name Dana means “generosity” in Arabic
• The naming of cyclones is coordinated by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and follows a pre-determined list contributed by member countries.
• Qatar is one of the member countries of the WMO's regional organization for naming cyclones in the northern Indian Ocean.
• Each name assigned to a cyclone is unique and is used to facilitate communication and awareness during weather events.

Additional Information

• A cyclone is a large-scale air mass that rotates around a strong center of low atmospheric pressure.
• Cyclones are classified into categories based on wind speed, such as tropical storms, hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclonic storms.
• India experiences cyclones due to its proximity to the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.
• The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) plays a critical role in tracking and forecasting cyclones.

The correct answer is option 3 i.e. Typhoon.

Key Points

• Thunderstorms
  • Thunderstorms develop in hot, humid tropical areas like India very frequently.
  • The rising temperatures produce strong upward rising winds. These winds carry water droplets upwards, where they freeze, and fall down again.
  • The swift movement of the falling water droplets along with the rising air create lightning and sound. It is this event that we call a thunderstorm.
• Cyclones
  • Before cloud formation, water takes up heat from the atmosphere to change into vapour. When water vapour changes back to liquid form as raindrops, this heat is released to the atmosphere.
  • The heat released to the atmosphere warms the air around. The air tends to rise and causes a drop in pressure. More air rushes to the centre of the storm.
  • This cycle is repeated. The chain of events ends with the formation of a very low-pressure system with very high-speed winds revolving around it.
  • It is this weather condition that we call a cyclone. Factors like wind speed, wind direction, temperature and humidity contribute to the development of cyclones.
  • The centre of a cyclone is a calm area. It is called the eye of the storm.
  • A large cyclone is a violently rotating mass of air in the atmosphere, 10 to 15 km high.
  • The diameter of the eye varies from 10 to 30 km. It is a region free of clouds and has light winds. Around this calm and clear eye, there is a cloud region of about 150 km in size. In this region there are high-speed winds (150–250 km/h) and thick clouds with heavy rain.
  • Away from this region the wind speed gradually decreases. The formation of a cyclone is a very complex process.
• Tornadoes 
  • A tornado is a dark funnel shaped cloud that reaches from the sky to the ground.
  • Most of the tornadoes are weak. A violent tornado can travel at speeds of about 300 km/h.
  • Tornadoes may form within cyclones.

A cyclone is known by different names in different parts of the world

The correct answer is Occluded Front.

Key Points

• An Occluded Front occurs when a cold air mass overtakes a warm air mass, forcing the warm air upward and creating a "sandwiched" effect.
• It is a type of weather front formed during the maturation of a low-pressure system, often leading to complex weather patterns.
• Occluded fronts are associated with clouds, precipitation, and sometimes thunderstorms, depending on the moisture content in the air.
• They are commonly depicted on weather maps as a purple line with alternating triangles and semicircles pointing in the direction of movement.
• Occluded fronts are categorized into two types: warm occlusion and cold occlusion, based on the temperature of the overtaking air mass.

Additional Information

• Weather Front:
  • A weather front is a boundary separating two air masses of different densities, typically associated with changes in temperature and humidity.
  • Types of fronts include cold fronts, warm fronts, stationary fronts, and occluded fronts.
• Cold Front:
  • Occurs when a cold air mass moves into a region occupied by a warm air mass.
  • Often results in sudden temperature drops, strong winds, and intense precipitation.
• Warm Front:
  • Occurs when a warm air mass moves over a cold air mass.
  • Characterized by gradual temperature increases, light precipitation, and extended cloud cover.
• Stationary Front:
  • Forms when two air masses meet but neither advances significantly.
  • Can lead to prolonged periods of precipitation and cloudy weather.
• Mid-Latitude Cyclones:
  • Occluded fronts are most commonly observed in mid-latitude cyclones, which are large-scale low-pressure systems.
  • These cyclones play a significant role in transporting heat and moisture across the globe.

The correct answer is Westerly Jet Stream.

Key Points

• The Westerly Jet Stream is a fast-flowing, high-altitude air current that plays a crucial role in influencing weather patterns in northern India during the winter season.
• It is responsible for bringing western cyclonic disturbances from the Mediterranean region into the Indian subcontinent, especially affecting the northwestern plains and the Himalayan region.
• These disturbances often cause rainfall or snowfall in the northern parts of India, which is vital for winter agriculture, particularly for crops like wheat.
• The Westerly Jet Stream is most prominent during the winter months when the Indian subcontinent experiences lower temperatures.
• This phenomenon also plays a key role in maintaining the overall winter climate and precipitation patterns in northern India.

Additional Information

• Jet Streams:
  • Jet streams are narrow bands of strong winds in the upper levels of the atmosphere that flow from west to east.
  • They are caused by temperature differences between the equator and the poles, as well as Earth's rotation.
  • There are four primary jet streams: Polar and Subtropical in both hemispheres.
• Western Cyclonic Disturbances:
  • These are low-pressure weather systems that originate in the Mediterranean region and travel eastward, guided by the Westerly Jet Stream.
  • They bring precipitation, including rain and snow, to the northwestern parts of India during winter.
  • They are crucial for the Rabi crop season in India.
• Polar-Night Jet Stream:
  • This is a high-speed jet stream located at higher altitudes near the poles.
  • It forms during the polar night (winter) when there is no sunlight in the polar regions.
  • Unlike the Westerly Jet Stream, it does not significantly influence weather in India.
• Easterly Jet Stream:
  • The Easterly Jet Stream is prominent during the Indian summer monsoon season.
  • It is located in the tropical regions and flows from east to west, contrary to the Westerly Jet Stream.
  • It plays a significant role in the onset and progress of the monsoon in India.

The correct answer is option 3 i.e. Typhoon.

Key Points

• Thunderstorms
  • Thunderstorms develop in hot, humid tropical areas like India very frequently.
  • The rising temperatures produce strong upward rising winds. These winds carry water droplets upwards, where they freeze, and fall down again.
  • The swift movement of the falling water droplets along with the rising air create lightning and sound. It is this event that we call a thunderstorm.
• Cyclones
  • Before cloud formation, water takes up heat from the atmosphere to change into vapour. When water vapour changes back to liquid form as raindrops, this heat is released to the atmosphere.
  • The heat released to the atmosphere warms the air around. The air tends to rise and causes a drop in pressure. More air rushes to the centre of the storm.
  • This cycle is repeated. The chain of events ends with the formation of a very low-pressure system with very high-speed winds revolving around it.
  • It is this weather condition that we call a cyclone. Factors like wind speed, wind direction, temperature and humidity contribute to the development of cyclones.
  • The centre of a cyclone is a calm area. It is called the eye of the storm.
  • A large cyclone is a violently rotating mass of air in the atmosphere, 10 to 15 km high.
  • The diameter of the eye varies from 10 to 30 km. It is a region free of clouds and has light winds. Around this calm and clear eye, there is a cloud region of about 150 km in size. In this region there are high-speed winds (150–250 km/h) and thick clouds with heavy rain.
  • Away from this region the wind speed gradually decreases. The formation of a cyclone is a very complex process.
• Tornadoes 
  • A tornado is a dark funnel shaped cloud that reaches from the sky to the ground.
  • Most of the tornadoes are weak. A violent tornado can travel at speeds of about 300 km/h.
  • Tornadoes may form within cyclones.

A cyclone is known by different names in different parts of the world

The correct answer is a typhoon.

Key Points 

• A cyclone is known by different names in different parts of the world.
• It is called a 'typhoon’ in Japan and the Philippines.
• While they are called ‘cyclones’ in the Indian and South Pacific oceans.
• In the Atlantic Ocean, they are called ‘hurricanes’.

Additional Information 

• Cyclone: 
  • A cyclone is a large air mass that rotates around a strong centre of low atmospheric pressure.
  • Cyclones rotate clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere and anti-clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere.
  • Cyclones are rapid inward air circulation around a low-pressure area.
  • Factors like wind speed, wind direction, temperature and humidity contribute to the development of cyclones. 
  • Cyclone/Strom is termed by different names in different continents -

Important Points

• Cyclone is a chain of events that ends with the formation of a very low-pressure system with very high-speed winds revolving around it.
• The centre of a cyclone is a calm area.
• It is called the eye of the storm.
• A large cyclone is a violently rotating mass of air in the atmosphere, 10 to 15 km high. 
• A cyclone is known by different names in different parts of the world.
• It is called a ‘hurricane’ on the American continent.
• In the Philippines and Japan, it is called a ‘typhoon’.
• In Australia it is known as willy - willy.

The correct answer is Tauktae.

Key Points

• Cyclone Tauktae
  • It was the first cyclonic storm of 2021 that emerged from the Arabian Sea.
  • It hit southern Gujarat on 17 May 2021 and was classified as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm (VSCS).
  • It is a tropical cyclone, It has been named by Myanmar.
  • It means 'gecko', a highly vocal lizard, in the Burmese language. 

Additional Information 

• Tropical Cyclones
  • Tropical cyclones are violent storms that originate over oceans in tropical areas and move over to the coastal areas bringing about large-scale destruction due to violent winds (squalls), very heavy rainfall (torrential rainfall) and storm surge.
  • They are irregular wind movements involving the closed circulation of air around a low-pressure centre.
  • Conditions Favourable for Tropical Cyclone Formation
    • Large sea surface with a temperature higher than 27° C,
    • The presence of the Coriolis force is enough to create a cyclonic vortex,
    • Small variations in the vertical wind speed,
    • A pre-existing weak low-pressure area or low-level-cyclonic circulation,
    • Upper divergence above the sea level system.
  • The depth of warm water (26-27°C) should extend for 60-70 m from the surface of the ocean/sea, so that deep convection currents within the water do not churn and mix the cooler water below with the warmer water near the surface.
  • The above condition occurs only in western tropical oceans because of warm ocean currents (easterly trade winds push ocean waters towards the west) that flow from the east towards the west forming a thick layer of water with temperatures greater than 27°C. This supplies enough moisture to the storm.
  • The cold currents lower the surface temperatures of the eastern parts of the tropical oceans making them unfit for the breeding of cyclonic storms.

The correct answer is eye.Key Points

• Eye is the calm centre of the storm or cyclone. 
• The eye of the storm is typically circular or oval in shape and can range from a few kilometers to more than 200 kilometers in diameter.
• The eye is surrounded by the eyewall, which is the most dangerous part of the storm with the highest wind speeds and heaviest rainfall.

Additional Information

• The eye of the storm is an important feature for meteorologists to study and track as it can provide information about the intensity and movement of the storm.
• When viewed from above, a cyclone is a large air mass that rotates counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere around a powerful center of low atmospheric pressure.
• Winds that spiral inward and revolve around a region of low pressure define cyclones. 

The correct answer is A) 3, B) 4, C) 2, D) 1.

• Tropical cyclones are violent storms that originate over oceans in tropical areas and move over to the coastal areas.
• They bring large scale destruction due to violent winds (squalls), very heavy rainfall (torrential rainfall), and storm surge.
• The cyclonic wind movements are anti-clockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere (This is due to Coriolis force).
• The cyclones are often characterized by the existence of an anticyclone between two cyclones.

Important Points

Regional names of cyclone

1. Typhoons - China Sea

2. Tropical Cyclones - Indian Ocean

3. Hurricanes - Caribbean Sea

4. Tornadoes - USA

5. Wily Willies - Northern Australia

6. Baguio - Philippines

7. Taifu - Japan

The correct answer is Julia.
Key Points

• Cyclones:-
  • These​ are natural disasters that can cause severe damage to property, infrastructure, and loss of lives.
• Julia:-
  • It did not hit India during the years 2021-2022.

Additional Information

• Cyclone Yaas hit the eastern coast of India in May 2021, causing significant damage and displacement of people.
• Cyclone Tauktae hit the western coast of India in May 2021, causing severe damage to infrastructure and loss of lives.
• Cyclone Gulab hit the eastern coast of India in September 2021, causing heavy rainfall and flooding in some regions.

The correct answer is the eye.

Important Points

• The centre of a cyclone is a calm area. It is called the eye of the storm.
• The central calm region of the storm is called the "Eye". The diameter of the eye varies between 30 and 50 km and is a region free of clouds and has light winds.
• A "Cyclonic Storm" or a "Cyclone" is an intense vortex or a whirl in the atmosphere with very strong winds circulating around it in an anti-clockwise direction in the Northern Hemisphere and in a clockwise direction in the Southern Hemisphere.
• Cyclone warnings issued to the Chief Secretaries, the Relief Commissioners and the District Collectors of the maritime states are the very basic information for cyclone distress prevention and mitigation.

Additional Information

• The present Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of India is Prakash Javadekar. (Apr 2021)
• India Meteorological Department (IMD) is an agency of the Government of India responsible for meteorological observations.

The correct answer is A is true but R is false.

• A Tropical cyclone is characterized by low atmospheric pressure, high winds, heavy rain, and continuous supply of warm water.
• The eastern coast of India is affected by tropical cyclones more than the western coast of India.
• More cyclones are formed in the Bay of Bengal than the Arabian Sea due to certain factors:
  • Bay Of Bengal is relatively warmer than the Arabian sea and the average Sea Surface Temperature is higher. So the warmer east coast attracts more cyclones.
  • Arabian sea has a higher salinity than the Bay Of Bengal.

Additional Information

• 	Tropical Cyclone	Temperate Cyclone
  Origin	Thermal Origin	Dynamic Origin – Coriolis Force, Movement of air masses.
  Latitude	Confined to 100 – 300 N and S of equator.	Confined to 350 – 650 N and S of equator. More pronounced in Northern hemisphere due to greater temperature contrast.
  Frontal system	Absent	The very cyclone formation is due to frontogenesis.[Occluded Front]
  Formation	They form only on seas with temperature more than 26-270 C. They dissipate on reaching the land.	Can form both on land as well as seas
  Season	Seasonal: Late summers (Aug – Oct)	Irregular. But few in summers and more in winters.
  Size	Limited to small area. Typical size: 100 – 500 kms in diameter. Varies with the strength of the cyclone.	They cover a larger area. Typical size: 300 – 2000 kms in diameter. Varies from region to region.
  Rainfall	Heavy but does not last beyond a few hours. If the cyclone stays at a place, the rainfall may continue for many days.	In a temperate cyclone, rainfall is slow and continues for many days, sometimes even weeks.
  Wind Velocity and destruction	Much greater (100 – 250 kmph)(200 – 1200 kmph in upper troposphere) Greater destruction due to winds, storm surges and torrential rains.	Comparatively low. Typical range: 30 – 150 kmph. Less destruction due to winds but more destruction due to flooding.
  Life time	Doesn’t last for more than a week	Last for 2-3 weeks.
  Path	East – West. Turn North at 200 latitude and west at 300 latitude. Move away from equator. The movement of Cyclones in Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal is a little different. Here, these storms are superimposed upon the monsoon circulation of the summer months, and they move in northerly direction along with the monsoon currents.	West – East (Westerlies – Jet Streams). Move away from equator.
  Temperature distribution	The temperature at the center is almost equally distributed.	All the sectors of the cyclone have different temperatures
  Calm region	The center of a tropical cyclone is known as the eye. The wind is calm at the center with no rainfall.	In a temperate cyclone, there is not a single place where winds and rains are inactive.
  Driving force	The tropical cyclone derives its energy from the latent heat of condensation, and the difference in densities of the air masses does not contribute to the energy of the cyclone.	The energy of a temperate cyclone depends on the densities of air masses.
  Influence of Jet streams	The relationship between tropical cyclones and the upper level air-flow is not very clear.	The temperate cyclones, in contrast, have a distinct relationship with upper level air flow (jet streams, Rossby waves etc.)
  Surface anti-cyclones	The tropical cyclones are not associated with surface anticyclones and they have a greater destructive capacity.	The temperate cyclones are associated with anticyclones which precede and succeed a cyclone. These cyclones are not very destructive.
  Influence on India	Both coasts effected. But east coast is the hot spot.	Bring rains to North – West India. The associated instability is called ‘Western Disturbances’.

The correct answer is Tropical Cyclones.

Key Points

• Tropical cyclones
  • Tropical cyclones are compact, circular storms, generally some 320 km (200 miles) in diameter, whose winds swirl around a central region of low atmospheric pressure.
  • The winds are driven by this low-pressure core and by the rotation of Earth, which deflects the path of the wind through a phenomenon known as the Coriolis force.
  • Most of the cyclones originate from the Bay of Bengal and the rest are originated from the Arabian Sea. Hence, Option 2 is correct.
  • Such cyclones are very devastating and they cause damage to lives and property. 
  • Tropical cyclones are known by various names in different parts of the world. In the North Atlantic Ocean and the eastern North Pacific, they are called hurricanes.
  • In the western North Pacific around the Philippines, Japan, and China the storms are referred to as typhoons.
  • In the western South Pacific and the Indian Ocean, they are variously referred to as severe tropical cyclones or simply cyclones. All these different names refer to the same type of storm.

Additional Information

The Correct Answer is The wind direction is clockwise in the southern hemisphere and anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere.

 Key Points

• Cyclones are rapid inward air circulation around a low-pressure area. Hence option 1 is Not Correct.
• The air circulates in an anticlockwise direction in the Northern hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern hemisphere. Hence option 3 is Correct.
• Cyclones are usually accompanied by violent storms and bad weather.

 Important Points

• The word Cyclone is derived from the Greek word Cyclos meaning the coils of a snake.
• It was coined by Henry Peddington because the tropical storms in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea appear like coiled serpents of the sea.
• There are two types of cyclones:
  • Tropical cyclones
  • Extra-Tropical cyclones (also called Temperate cyclones or middle-latitude cyclones or Frontal cyclones or Wave Cyclones).