QUESTION 4
GS1
10 marks
What is sea surface temperature rise? How does it affect the formation of tropical cyclones?
WRITE IN
7 min
150 words
What the examiner wants
Define sea surface temperature rise and explain how warmer seas affect the formation and strength of tropical cyclones.
ExplainMake clear how and why it happens: causes, process, and an example for each point.
Demand-wise check
- 1What SST rise is and why it is happening (ocean heat uptake from global warming)≈35 words
- 2Mechanism: SST above about 26.5°C supplies latent heat and moisture; more heat means rapid intensification≈35 words
- 3Indian examples: increase in Arabian Sea cyclones, rapid intensification (Ockhi 2017, Tauktae 2021)≈35 words
Open in about 20 words and close in about 20.
Answer plan
Define SST riseConditions for cyclone formationHow higher SST changes frequency and intensityExamplesConclusion
Where marks usually go
- Listing all cyclone conditions without explaining the role of SST
- No example from the Arabian Sea or Bay of Bengal
Draw this
- Diagram: warm ocean → evaporation → latent heat → low pressure → cyclone
Value addition
- FactTropical cyclones generally need sea surface temperature of at least 26–27°C.India Meteorological Department
- ResearchStudies from IITM Pune show the Arabian Sea has warmed fast and cyclone frequency there has risen about 52% in 2001–2019.Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Deshpande et al. 2021
Mapped topper copies
Reviewed public-source references related to this PYQ. Same-syllabus references are labelled separately.
- Monika Srivastava · Page 11 ↗Reviewed PYQ reference
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Next: plan for one minute, write it in 7 minutes, then get it checked.