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Victoria Mode linked to drying of north-west India
Why in News?
Which ocean's cycle is drying north-west India? The Victoria Mode, a Pacific link for GS-I Climatology
Study ties expanding semi-arid zones in north-west India to the Pacific Victoria Mode.
Why it matters: factual, Prelims-type
What you need to know
2 min read
Scientists from the IMD and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology report that the Pacific oceanic cycle known as the Victoria Mode is affecting the flow of moisture towards India.
Semi-arid areas are expanding in north-west India, which could hurt food supply and displace people.
Sources: Topper IAS editorial (PIB / The Hindu / Indian Express)
Key facts
Remember these
- Victoria Mode is an oceanic cycle of the Pacific Ocean
- Scientists from the IMD and IITM, Pune link it to the flow of moisture towards India
- Semi-arid areas are expanding in north-west India
- Possible impacts: pressure on food supply and displacement of people
- Related Indian Ocean cycle: the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD)
Prelims · Mains
How the exam will ask it
Prelims
- The Victoria Mode is a Pacific oceanic cycle that can influence moisture transport towards India.
- Semi-arid zones in north-west India are reported to be expanding.
- The Indian Ocean Dipole is a separate climate mode of the Indian Ocean, not the Pacific.
- The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, and IITM Pune is also an MoES institute.
Mains
GS-I (Climatology) and GS-III (Environment): Pacific climate modes such as the Victoria Mode can alter moisture flow towards India, expanding semi-arid zones in the north-west. The result is risk to food supply and migration or displacement. Way forward: better climate-mode monitoring and forecasting, drought-resilient crops, efficient water management and climate-adaptive planning for vulnerable districts.
Quick recall
Answer before you reveal
The "Victoria Mode", recently linked by IMD and IITM scientists to the expansion of semi-arid areas in north-west India, is an oceanic cycle of which ocean?
- Atlantic Ocean
- Pacific Ocean
- Indian Ocean
- Southern Ocean
Show answer
Answer: B — Correct: Pacific Ocean — Right: the Victoria Mode is a Pacific oceanic cycle. • Atlantic Ocean — Wrong: Atlantic variability is described by the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation. • Indian Ocean — Wrong: the Indian Ocean's well-known cycle is the Indian Ocean Dipole. • Southern Ocean — Wrong: the Southern Ocean is not the source of the Victoria Mode.
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