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GeographyMediumAsked in: NDA · NDA-I 2026, GAT

Which one of the following winds is responsible for wildfires in Southern California?

  1. A.Diablo wind
  2. B.Chinook wind
  3. C.Santa Ana wind
  4. D.Jarbo Gap wind

Correct answer

C. Santa Ana wind

Explanation

The correct answer is C, Santa Ana wind. These hot, very dry winds blow from the inland deserts towards the coast of Southern California and spread its autumn wildfires.

Santa Ana winds form when high pressure builds over the Great Basin and the Mojave Desert. The air flows down through the mountain passes towards the Pacific, warming and drying further as it descends. Gusts can exceed 100 km per hour and the humidity can fall below 10 percent, so a single spark can turn into a large, fast-moving fire. They are most common from October to March, and the great Los Angeles fires of January 2025 were driven by them.

A is wrong because the Diablo wind is the similar dry wind of Northern California, around the San Francisco Bay Area. B is wrong because the Chinook is a warm wind on the eastern slopes of the Rockies, known as the snow eater. D is wrong because the Jarbo Gap wind is a local wind of Northern California's Feather River canyon.

Exam tip: Santa Ana for Southern California, Diablo for Northern California, Chinook for the Rockies.

Practice Questions

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Q2.GeographyAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2017, GKMedium

Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Himalayan rivers have their origin in the snow-covered areas, hence are dry in winter season. 2. Rivers of the Peninsular Plateau have reached maturity. 3. Himalayan rivers depict all the three stages of normal cycle of erosion. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

  1. A.2 only
  2. B.1 and 3 only
  3. C.2 and 3 only
  4. D.1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Correct answer: C. 2 and 3 only

Himalayan rivers are perennial, so statement 1 is wrong, while statements 2 and 3 are correct. Himalayan rivers such as the Ganga, Indus and Brahmaputra rise from glaciers and snowfields and also get monsoon rain, so they flow all year round, including in winter.

Q3.GeographyAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2017, GKMedium

Which of the following statements related to latitude are true? 1. Rainfall, temperature and vegetation vary with latitude. 2. The difference between the longest day and the shortest day increases with latitude. 3. Indira Point is located approximately at 6°45' N latitude. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

  1. A.1 and 2 only
  2. B.1 and 3 only
  3. C.2 and 3 only
  4. D.1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Correct answer: D. 1, 2 and 3

All three statements about latitude are true. Latitude decides how directly the Sun's rays strike a place, so temperature, rainfall and the type of vegetation change from the equator towards the poles, from hot, wet rainforests to cold tundra.

Q4.GeographyAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2017, GKMedium

Which of the following lakes is/are situated in Ladakh? 1. Tso Kar 2. Pangong Tso 3. Tsomgo 4. Tso Moriri Select the correct answer using the code given below.

  1. A.1 only
  2. B.2 and 3
  3. C.1, 2 and 4
  4. D.2 and 4 only
Show answer
Correct answer: C. 1, 2 and 4

Tso Kar, Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri are high-altitude lakes of Ladakh, while Tsomgo lies in Sikkim. Pangong Tso, at about 4,350 metres, is a long, narrow lake that stretches from Ladakh into Tibet, and most of its length lies on the Chinese side.