During the last few years the frequency of extreme rainfall events has been continuously increasing in India, the reason is not very clear, although many climate scientists have pointed towards global warming as the probable cause.
triple La Niña event is likely this year, it’s a rare event that has happened two times in the last five decades. It creates drought- like situations in America and results in flooding of the south asian region.
India is breaking records again, but these new highs are no reason to celebrate! People living in India's northern and central regions are experiencing severe heat waves. The temperature in Delhi crossed 45 degrees celsius, while UP’s Banda district registered a record high temperature of 49 degrees celsius. Although, high temperatures are typical in April and May, this year’s temperatures are unprecedented. India is witnessing its hottest summer in 122 years. Climate experts are pointing towards compound events as the major reason behind the increased frequency of heatwaves in the past few years. A compound event is one where two or more weather events which may not be necessarily dangerous occur together to create severe impacts. The heatwaves result from the compounding effect of global warming, weather pattern changes and existing weather cycles. An IPCC report released in August 2021 warned India might experience more frequent heatwaves. This was confirmed by a recent report by NASA which observed urban ‘heat islands’ in the Delhi NCR region. Although concrete is considered a good material for construction, it is notoriously known for absorbing and reflecting large amounts of heat. These concrete structures create heat islands that aggravate the impact of heatwaves where even the nights seem to offer no relief to the common people. While Delhi and its neighbouring areas recorded night time temperatures of 35 degrees celsius, the rural fields cooled off to 15 degrees celsius. The major differentiating factor was the lack of green spaces in urban areas.
A United States-based research group released a study highlighting the hazardous state of air pollution in India. It claims that about 40% of Indians will have their life expectancy reduced by nine years. Air pollution has become nothing short of a disaster for the environment and human health.
The UP government announced that the weather forecast system in Uttar Pradesh will now work at the local level. This means that the prediction of the mass of every village and locality will be different. It is often seen that it rains somewhere in the same city and is sunny in the other as the weather pattern usually changes only in a 5-10 km radius. The weather forecast is still issued for the entire state or district only hence this scenario is about to change.
The Mangrove Foundation commissioned by the state government of Maharashtra has recently issued a report which studies the incubation temperature of nests of the Olive Ridley turtles has found the changes in the nesting patterns of the reptiles.
If it comes as a surprise to you that the Southwestern United States and Northern Mexico have been experiencing the worst drought in 1200 years, i.e., since the year 800 CE, your response is a scathing indictment of the Indian media’s coverage of global climate change.
Incessant heavy rainfall and floods occurring over peninsular India indicate a radical change in the monsoon patterns. The IMD (Indian Meteorological Department) report, published on March 30, 2021 showed the variability and changes in the monsoon rainfalls of 29 states and Union territories at state as well as district levels.
It was only the third time in history that the New Zealand government declared a national state of emergency owing to the storm's devastation .Once before, at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic and after the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, has New Zealand issued a national state of emergency. The calamity, according to Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, is the largest meteorological event to affect New Zealand in a century. At least 225,000 people, according to officials, were without electricity on Tuesday.
Over a week, nearly 12 feet of snow fell in parts of the central Sierra Nevada. The Brighton ski resort website in Utah put it succinctly: "Best. Season. Ever." Last week, rare blizzard warnings were issued in Southern California.
The majority of people in the plains would yearn to see snow, but the homeless are faced with the harsh reality of cold. In India's capital city, the same scene can be seen every year: a winter cold wave is blamed for the deaths of dozens of homeless people, and the icy conditions force tens of thousands more to live on the streets.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has urged the world to prepare for the development of El Nino, a weather phenomenon associated with severe droughts in parts of southern Asia, Indonesia, and Australia, as well as extreme rain.
The pollution is making India's monsoons more unpredictable. This is a major alert for Indians, as the monsoons are "the lifeblood of the nation's agrarian economy." The monsoons provide about 70% of the required rainfall, which is essential for irrigating farms and replenishing reservoirs and aquifers. However, the new study says that "increased emissions from the burning of fossil fuels and rising pollution levels are altering monsoon patterns, resulting in adverse impacts on agriculture and posing challenges for accurate forecasting."
Cyclone Biparjoy, a formidable storm with winds of up to 150 kph (90 mph), is approaching densely populated regions in India and Pakistan, triggering widespread evacuations. With the potential for heavy rainfall, destructive winds, and coastal storm surges, authorities in both countries are taking swift action to protect millions of lives. Pakistan's Sindh province has already relocated approximately 60,000 individuals to temporary shelters, while India's Gujarat state has evacuated around 45,000 people from coastal areas
The Indian government is undertaking a pan-India study to gauge the impact of climate change and the behavior of microclimates within states and districts. The study, which is expected to be released by 2027, will be conducted by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and will expand the IMD's network of monitoring stations across the country.
Climate change may be a contributing factor behind the recent heavy rainfall that has caused mayhem in northwest India. The experts believe that the increasing levels of global warming have led to a steep increase in extreme weather events, such as the heavy rainfall being experienced in northwest India.
The Yamuna river level in Delhi has breached all records, reaching an all-time high of 207.55 metres on Wednesday. This is the highest level the river has reached since 1978, when it caused devastating floods in the national capital.
The world is experiencing extreme heatwaves, reinforcing the urgency of addressing climate change. Unprecedented heat has been observed in various regions, including the US, UK, North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. June 2023 was declared the hottest June on record globally, with the three hottest days ever recorded occurring in the past week. Climate models have accurately predicted these high temperatures, serving as a stark reminder of the long-known consequences of greenhouse gas accumulation.
The extreme weather events that have been occurring around the world in recent months are linked to climate change. In the United States and Europe, a historic heatwave has caused temperatures to soar to record levels. In Asia, torrential rains and floods have killed hundreds of people and displaced millions more.
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