Previous Year Question
Which of the following is NOT correctly matched?
Wind — Country
Santa Ana — California
Haboob — Sudan
Yamo — Japan
Mistral — Australia
Correct Answer: D
Detailed Solution
Santa Ana is a well-known warm and dry downslope wind of Southern California. It generally flows from an inland high-pressure region towards the California coast. As the air descends the mountain slopes, it is compressed, becoming warmer and drier. Strong Santa Ana winds can also intensify the spread of wildfires.
A Haboob is an intense dust or sand storm particularly associated with Sudan. The WMO meteorological definition describes Haboob as a strong wind and dust/sandstorm of northern and central Sudan. It can form a dense wall of dust and greatly reduce visibility.
Yamo is conventionally associated with Japan in world geography. Therefore, the Yamo–Japan pair is treated as correct in the context of the question.
The Mistral is not a wind of Australia. It is a cold, generally dry and strong regional wind of southern France, blowing through the lower Rhône Valley and Provence towards the Mediterranean coast. According to Météo-France, its gusts commonly reach 80–100 km/h and may occasionally become even stronger.