Correct Option
Statement I is correct. In January, during the Northern Hemisphere winter, landmasses cool down more rapidly and to a greater extent than oceans. Consequently, isotherms (lines connecting points of equal temperature) bend equatorward (southward) over continents, indicating colder temperatures. Conversely, oceans retain heat longer due to water's high specific heat capacity, leading to relatively warmer conditions. This causes isotherms to bend poleward (northward) over oceanic areas.
Statement II is correct. In the Northern Hemisphere winter (January), the air over oceans is generally warmer than that over adjacent landmasses at similar latitudes. This is primarily due to the differential heating and cooling properties of land and water. Water has a higher specific heat capacity than land, meaning it absorbs and releases heat more slowly. Therefore, during winter, oceans cool down at a slower rate and to a lesser extent than land, maintaining higher surface temperatures and consequently warmer overlying air.
Statement II explains Statement I. The differential heating and cooling between land and ocean surfaces, as described in Statement II, directly accounts for the pattern of isotherm bending observed in Statement I. Warmer oceanic air pushes isotherms poleward, while colder continental air pulls them equatorward, reflecting the temperature gradient established by the land-sea contrast.
Incorrect Options
Option (2) is incorrect because Statement II provides a direct explanation for the phenomenon described in Statement I. The differential heating of land and sea is the fundamental reason for the observed isotherm patterns.
Option (3) is incorrect because Statement II is factually correct, as oceans retain heat longer than land in winter due to their higher specific heat capacity.
Option (4) is incorrect because Statement I accurately describes the typical bending pattern of isotherms over land and ocean in the Northern Hemisphere during January.