The Ultimate 2026 Cyclone Compendium: 100 MCQs from Basic to Advanced

"100 MCQs on Cyclone: The Ultimate 2026 Masterclass for Competitive Exams"

This comprehensive compilation of 100 MCQs on Cyclones is specifically designed for students, educators, and civil service aspirants preparing for 2026 competitive exams.

Mastering the complexities of meteorology requires a journey from foundational concepts to high-level technical analysis. This collection bridges that gap, covering everything from the basic anatomy of a storm to the cutting-edge satellite technologies and climate models used by the IMD and WMO in 2026.

What’s Included in This Compendium?

• Progressive Difficulty: Structured in 10 thematic sets that scale from general terminology (Basic) to thermodynamic laws and numerical modeling (Advanced).
• 2026 Ready: Updated with the latest meteorological standards, including Ocean Heat Content (OHC) analysis, Dual-Polarization Radar technology, and the current North Indian Ocean (NIO) naming conventions.
• Holistic Coverage: Includes detailed questions on the Coriolis Effect, Rapid Intensification (RI), Storm Surge dynamics (SLOSH), and regional climatology for the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea.
• Strategic Study Tool: Features "Assertion-Reasoning" and "Numerical-Based" questions to sharpen critical thinking for high-stakes exams like UPSC, State PSCs, and Geography Olympiads.
• Watermarked for Authority: Every section is optimized for the "Learn With Bibhuti Sir" platform, ensuring a professional and trusted learning experience.

Why These MCQs Matter for 2026

As climate patterns shift, the 2026 season has seen an increase in "Rapid Intensification" and "Brown Ocean Effect" phenomena. These questions are curated to ensure learners are not just memorizing facts, but understanding the dynamic physics behind these life-altering weather systems

Part 1: General Awareness & Terminology

1. What is the calm, low-pressure center of a mature cyclone called?
   (Learn With Bibhuti Sir)
   A) Vortex | B) Eye | C) Storm Surge | D) Eyewall (Ans: B)
2. A cyclone in the Atlantic Ocean and Northeastern Pacific is known as a:
   (Learn With Bibhuti Sir)
   A) Typhoon | B) Tornado | C) Hurricane | D) Willy-Willy (Ans: C)
3. Which instrument is primarily used to measure wind speed during a cyclone?
   (Learn With Bibhuti Sir)
   A) Barometer | B) Anemometer | C) Hygrometer | D) Seismograph (Ans: B)
4. Which direction do tropical cyclones typically move in the tropics before reaching higher latitudes?
   A) West to East | B) East to West | C) North to South | D) South to North (Ans: B)
5. A tropical cyclone weakens rapidly upon making landfall primarily because:
   A) Pressure rises | B) Coriolis force is zero | C) Loss of moisture/latent heat | D) Friction (Ans: C)
6. In the North Indian Ocean, what is the threshold for a "Cyclonic Storm"?
   A) 17 knots | B) 34 knots | C) 48 knots | D) 64 knots (Ans: B)
7. Who maintains the rotating lists of names for North Indian Ocean cyclones?
   A) UN | B) WMO/ESCAP Panel | C) Indian Navy | D) NOAA (Ans: B)
8. If a cyclone moves from the Western Pacific to the Bay of Bengal in 2026:
   A) Keeps name | B) Given new name from NIO list | C) Downgraded | D) Number only (Ans: B)
9. "Cyclogenesis" refers to:
   A) Death of a storm | B) Development/strengthening of circulation | C) Movement over land | D) Naming (Ans: B)
10. The primary cause of death during a tropical cyclone landfall is:
    A) High winds | B) Lightning | C) Drowning (Storm Surge/Flooding) | D) Pressure (Ans: C)

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Part 2: Formation & Physics

11. Primary energy source for a tropical cyclone?
    (Learn With Bibhuti Sir)
    A) Geothermal | B) Latent heat of condensation | C) Solar radiation | D) Wave friction (Ans: B)
12. Why do cyclones rotate counter-clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere?
    A) Gravity | B) Centrifugal force | C) Coriolis Effect | D) Magnetic poles (Ans: C)
13. Minimum sea surface temperature for formation?
    A) 15.5°C | B) 20.5°C | C) 26.5°C | D) 32.5°C (Ans: C)
14. Why do tropical cyclones rarely form within 5° of the Equator?
    A) Water too warm | B) Coriolis force too weak | C) High wind shear | D) High pressure (Ans: B)
15. What is the "Maximum Potential Intensity" (MPI) a function of?
    A) Surface wind | B) Temp difference (Ocean vs Tropopause) | C) Distance from Equator (Ans: B)
16. Cold water brought to the surface by a passing cyclone is called:
    A) Downwelling | B) Upwelling | C) Halocline | D) Isothermal Layer (Ans: B)
17. Which law explains wind speed increase as air spirals inward?
    A) Boyle’s Law | B) Conservation of Angular Momentum | C) Newton’s 3rd | D) Archimedes (Ans: B)
18. "Beta Effect" in cyclone motion refers to:
    A) Friction | B) Poleward/Westward drift via Coriolis gradient | C) Sea cooling | D) Collapse (Ans: B)
19. What occurs when two cyclones within 1,400 km orbit each other?
    A) Coriolis | B) Fujiwara Effect | C) Beta Drift | D) Rossby Interaction (Ans: B)
20. Which physical process describes cooling as air moves toward the low-pressure eye?
    A) Isothermal | B) Adiabatic Cooling | C) Latent Heating | D) Sublimation (Ans: B)

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Part 3: Meteorological Standards & Classification

21. Scale used to categorize cyclones based on wind speed?
    (Learn With Bibhuti Sir)
    A) Richter | B) Saffir-Simpson | C) Fujita | D) Beaufort (Ans: B)
22. Main difference between tropical and extratropical cyclones?
    A) Tropical are cold-core | B) Tropical are warm-core | C) Low pressure center | D) Rotation (Ans: B)
23. In Dvorak Technique, a "T-number" of 8.0 represents:
    A) Weak depression | B) Moderate storm | C) Max intensity | D) Landfall (Ans: C)
24. A "Super Cyclonic Storm" (2026 IMD) exceeds wind speeds of:
    A) 120 knots | B) 90 knots | C) 64 knots | D) 48 knots (Ans: A)
25. "Rapid Intensification" is a wind increase of at least:
    A) 15 kt/24hr | B) 30 kt/24hr | C) 55 kt/24hr | D) 70 kt/24hr (Ans: B)
26. Which part of the cyclone has the highest wind speeds?
    A) Eye | B) Eyewall | C) Outflow | D) Spiral Bands (Ans: B)
27. What is "Vorticity"?
    A) Rain temp | B) Local spinning motion | C) Eye dust | D) Forward speed (Ans: B)
28. "Extratropical Transition" (ET) means:
    A) Crossing Equator | B) Becoming a cold-core frontal system | C) Heatwave | D) Evaporation (Ans: B)
29. Which index measures total wind energy over a storm’s lifetime?
    A) Saffir-Simpson | B) ACE (Accumulated Cyclone Energy) | C) Beaufort | D) Dvorak (Ans: B)
30. A "Midget Cyclone" is defined by its:
    A) Low wind | B) Small radius of gale-force winds | C) Land origin | D) Duration (Ans: B)

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Part 4: Forecasting & Technology (2026)

31. In 2026, which sensor "sees through" clouds to measure core rainfall?
    (Learn With Bibhuti Sir)
    A) Visible | B) Infrared | C) Microwave | D) UV (Ans: C)
32. A "Clear Eye" in IR imagery usually signifies:
    A) Dissipation | B) High intensity | C) Cold front | D) Landfall (Ans: B)
33. Satellite method estimating intensity without direct wind measurements?
    A) Richter | B) Dvorak Technique | C) Saffir-Simpson | D) Doppler radar (Ans: B)
34. In 2026, "Ocean Heat Content" (OHC) measures heat energy down to which isotherm?
    A) 10°C | B) 20°C | C) 26°C | D) 30°C (Ans: C)
35. The range of an S-Band Doppler Weather Radar for cyclone tracking is:
    A) 100km | B) 400km | C) 800km | D) 1500km (Ans: B)
36. What does a "Scatterometer" measure?
    A) Cloud temp | B) Ocean surface wind roughness | C) Rainfall | D) Eye depth (Ans: B)
37. The "SLOSH" model is used to estimate:
    A) Path | B) Storm surge heights/flooding | C) Salinity | D) Cloud weight (Ans: B)
38. "Dropsondes" are used to measure:
    A) Ocean depth | B) Vertical weather profiles while falling | C) Magnetic fields | D) Aircraft speed (Ans: B)
39. Dual-Polarization Radar "Differential Reflectivity (ZDR)" identifies:
    A) Path speed | B) Particle shape (rain vs debris) | C) Eye temp | D) Tropopause height (Ans: B)
40. Organization providing 2026 advisories for the North Indian Ocean?
    A) NHC | B) RSMC New Delhi (IMD) | C) JTWC | D) BoM (Ans: B)

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Part 5: Advanced Dynamics & Climatology

41. The "Stadium Effect" in intensifying cyclones is explained by:
    (Learn With Bibhuti Sir)
    A) Angular Momentum | B) Thermal Wind Balance | C) Centrifugal Force | D) Bernoulli (Ans: B)
42. "Vertical Wind Shear" (VWS) acts as a "brake" because it:
    A) Stand vortex upright | B) Tilts/decouples the vortex | C) Speeds up movement | D) No impact (Ans: B)
43. "Brown Ocean Effect" involves:
    A) Pollution | B) Strength maintenance over wet land | C) Sea color | D) Erosion (Ans: B)
44. Why is the "Right Forward Quadrant" (NH) most dangerous?
    A) High pressure | B) Rotation + Forward motion speed | C) Cold air | D) Eye contact (Ans: B)
45. "Outflow Layer" intensity role?
    A) Cools storm | B) Exhaust pipe maintaining low pressure | C) Prevents rotation | D) Moves storm back (Ans: B)
46. "Radius of Maximum Winds" (RMW) is the distance from:
    A) Center to rainband | B) Center to highest winds (eyewall) | C) Total diameter | D) Cloud height (Ans: B)
47. What happens during an "Eyewall Replacement Cycle"?
    A) Dissipation | B) Outer eyewall chokes inner, then expands | C) Eye fills with water | D) 180° turn (Ans: B)
48. "Central Dense Overcast" (CDO) is:
    A) Clear eye | B) Cold cloud mass surrounding eye | C) Rainbands | D) Dust layer (Ans: B)
49. "Rossby Radius of Deformation" is where:
    A) Max distance | B) Rotation effects = buoyancy | C) Eyewall thickness | D) Distance between storms (Ans: B)
50. "Vortex Stretching" involves:
    A) Flattening | B) Vertical elongation increasing rotation | C) Splitting | D) Turning to tornado (Ans: B)

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Part 6: Regional Vulnerability & Management

51. Indian state with the highest historical cyclone landfalls?
    (Learn With Bibhuti Sir)
    A) Gujarat | B) Tamil Nadu | C) Odisha | D) West Bengal (Ans: C)
52. What is a coastal "Bio-Shield"?
    A) Signal jammer | B) Mangroves/Casuarina plantations | C) Virus barrier | D) Livestock bunker (Ans: B)
53. IMD color code for "High Alert" (Action Suggested) within 24 hours?
    A) Yellow | B) Orange | C) Red | D) Green (Ans: C)
54. "Cyclone Warning" phase is issued at least how many hours before adverse weather?
    A) 12 | B) 24 | C) 48 | D) 72 (Ans: A)
55. Who operates the "Sagar Kavac" warning system?
    A) ISRO | B) Coast Guard | C) INCOIS | D) MEA (Ans: C)
56. "Inverse Barometer Effect": A 1 hPa drop in pressure causes sea level to rise by:
    A) 1 mm | B) 1 cm | C) 10 cm | D) 1 m (Ans: B)
57. "Triple Dip La Niña" impact in 2026?
    A) Less activity | B) Enhanced Atlantic/W. Pacific frequency | C) Global cooling | D) No NIO storms (Ans: B)
58. Why are Arabian Sea cyclones increasing in the 2020s?
    A) Salinity | B) Rapid warming of SST | C) Rotation change | D) Moon orbit (Ans: B)
59. "Pre-landfall Watch" (IMD) is issued how many hours before landfall?
    A) 12 | B) 24 | C) 48 | D) 72 (Ans: D)
60. "Anticyclones" are primarily:
    A) Low-pressure | B) High-pressure (stable weather) | C) SH only | D) Fueled by warm water (Ans: B) 

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Part 7: Advanced Climatology & Interaction

61. "Hot Tower" in 2026 imagery indicates:
    (Learn With Bibhuti Sir)
    A) 90° turn | B) Deep convection/Rapid intensification | C) Eye collapse | D) Desert crossing (Ans: B)
62. Assertion (A): South Atlantic cyclones are rare. Reason (R): High shear/Cool SST.
    A) A & R true, R explains A | B) A & R true, R doesn't explain | C) A true, R false | D) A false, R true (Ans: A)
63. "In-up-and-out" circulation means:
    A) In at surface, up in eyewall, out at top | B) Out at surface, sink in eyewall | C) In all levels | D) Sink in eyewall (Ans: A)
64. Role of "Isothermal Layer" in 2026 events?
    A) Barrier to cold upwelling | B) Speed increase | C) Prevents rain | D) Reflects signals (Ans: A)
65. Adiabatic Cooling occurs when:
    A) Heat is added | B) Air expands due to lower pressure | C) Salt increases | D) Clouds dissipate (Ans: B)
66. "Radius of Gale Force Winds" (R34) measures:
    A) Center of eye | B) Area of winds ≥34 knots | C) Time to landfall | D) Cloud temp (Ans: B)
67. Sea Level Rise (2026) exacerbates impact by:
    A) Wind speed | B) Further storm surge penetration | C) Naming | D) Lightning (Ans: B)
68. Carnot Efficiency is limited by:
    A) Surface wind | B) Temperature ratio (Ocean surface vs Outflow) | C) Salinity | D) Nitrogen (Ans: B)
69. "Recurvature" involves interaction with:
    A) Advection | B) Upper-Level Trough | C) Subduction | D) Frontal Blockade (Ans: B)
70. Baroclinic Zone is associated with:
    A) Tropical cyclones | B) Extratropical cyclones | C) Eye calm | D) High salinity (Ans: B)

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Part 8: Mixed Technical Set

71. What is the "Trough of Low Pressure"?
    (Learn With Bibhuti Sir)
    A) High pressure | B) Elongated low pressure area | C) Ocean trench | D) Heatwave (Ans: B)
72. What is the "Outflow Cirrus Shield"?
    A) Dust | B) High-level exhaust clouds | C) Rain area | D) Shadow (Ans: B)
73. Primary "brake" preventing infinite spin?
    A) Coriolis | B) Surface friction | C) Solar radiation | D) Moon gravity (Ans: B)
74. In the Northern Hemisphere, which quadrant is the most dangerous?
    A) Left Rear | B) Right Forward | C) Right Rear | D) Left Forward (Ans: B)
75. What is "Pressure Gradient Force"?
    A) Air High to Low push | B) Polar pull | C) Eye weight | D) Cloud heat (Ans: A)
76. Microwave 85-91 GHz frequency is best for:
    A) Sea depth | B) Ice scattering/convective towers | C) Wind naming | D) Dust detection (Ans: B)
77. Secondary Eyewall formation usually leads to:
    A) Immediate dissipation | B) Eyewall Replacement Cycle | C) Tsunami | D) Cloud freezing (Ans: B)
78. "Warm Core" center is:
    A) Warmer than surroundings | B) Colder than surroundings | C) High pressure | D) Snowing (Ans: A)
79. 2026 "Rapid Intensification" (RI) prevalence in NIO?
    A) Decreasing | B) ~1 in 3 cyclones | C) Arabian Sea only | D) Pre-monsoon only (Ans: B)
80. Peak NIO cyclone season is October-November because:
    A) Low shear/ITCZ shift | B) Cold ocean | C) Land hotter than ocean | D) Strong trades (Ans: A)

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Part 9: Final Conceptual Challenge

81. Which satellite method uses CI (Current Intensity)?
    (Learn With Bibhuti Sir)
    A) Dvorak | B) Richter | C) Saffir-Simpson | D) Mercalli (Ans: A)
82. "Latent Heat of Condensation" happens when:
    A) Evaporation | B) Vapor turns to liquid | C) Rain falls | D) Wind speeds (Ans: B)
83. "Cold-Core" systems are:
    A) Hurricanes | B) Typhoons | C) Extratropical cyclones | D) Super Cyclones (Ans: C)
84. Which state is "Cyclonically Active" during winter (Western Disturbance)?
    A) Tamil Nadu | B) Odisha | C) North India | D) Kerala (Ans: C)
85. "Midget" storms are difficult to forecast because they:
    A) Never hit land | B) Escape satellite detection/Intensify rapidly | C) Move slowly | D) Are cold-core (Ans: B)
86. A T-number of 4.0 equals:
    A) Depression | B) Deep Depression | C) Cyclonic Storm | D) Super Cyclone (Ans: C)
87. The "Inverse Barometer Effect" is a _____ factor in storm surge:
    A) Minor | B) Major (up to 5-10%) | C) Non-existent | D) Primary (Ans: B)
88. Dual-Pol Radar "ZDR" helps meteorologists see:
    A) Wind speed | B) Rain vs Hail/Debris | C) Eye pressure | D) Cloud height (Ans: B)
89. Coriolis parameter at the Equator is:
    A) 1 | B) 0.5 | C) 0 | D) -1 (Ans: C)
90. "Warm-Core" height transition: Why does a cyclone disappear at very high altitudes?
    A) Outflow becomes an anticyclone | B) Friction stops it | C) Gravity | D) It turns into a cloud (Ans: A)

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Part 10: Quantitative & 2026 Trends

91. If SST is 30°C and Tropopause is -70°C, MPI will be:
    (Learn With Bibhuti Sir)
    A) Low | B) Very High | C) Constant | D) Zero (Ans: B)
92. 2026 Storm Surge calculation "SLOSH" includes:
    A) Pressure only | B) Wind + Pressure + Bathymetry | C) Moon phase only | D) Rain volume (Ans: B)
93. "Vortex Stretching" increases:
    A) Wind speed | B) Eye diameter | C) Rain area | D) Storm height (Ans: A)
94. The "Eye" is formed by air ______ from the top:
    A) Rising | B) Sinking (Subsiding) | C) Rotating horizontally | D) Freezing (Ans: B)
95. Naming of NIO cyclones (2026 list) follows which sequence?
    A) Random | B) Alphabetical by country | C) Severity | D) Order of discovery (Ans: B)
96. "D26" (26°C Isotherm Depth) indicates:
    A) Cloud height | B) Ocean Heat Potential | C) Wind shear | D) Wave length (Ans: B)
97. Western Disturbance rise in night temp is due to:
    A) Sun | B) Cloud cover trapping outgoing radiation | C) Ocean heat | D) Friction (Ans: B)
98. A pressure of 900 hPa is extremely _____:
    A) High | B) Low | C) Average | D) Standard (Ans: B)
99. Primary obstacle for 2026 NIO forecasting?
    A) No satellites | B) Rapid Intensification (RI) unpredictability | C) Cold water | D) No computers (Ans: B)
100. The "Outflow" layer rotates in which direction in the Northern Hemisphere?
     A) Counter-clockwise | B) Clockwise (Anticyclonic) | C) Upward | D) Downward (Ans: B)

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