Climate change alters rain pattern across country

Karam Prakash

New Delhi, April 29

After having caused a rise in average temperatures, climate change is now causing alterations in the rainfall pattern across the country.

Major shift

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• Low rainfall zones like Kutch, Saurashtra and Rajasthan receiving more rainfall
• Once-high-rainfall zones like Assam, Meghalaya, Bihar and Jharkhand are now getting less rain
• Climate change-induced rise in temperature by 1°C has increased the moisture-holding capacity of the atmosphere by 7 per cent

While areas once devoid of rainfall are now unusually receiving excessive rainfall, wet states are experiencing dry spell. India Meteorological Department (IMD) — after analysing rainfall data over many decades — has confirmed that it is climate change that has altered the rainfall pattern.

Director General of Meteorology, Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, said, “Due to climate change, the rainfall pattern in the country is changing. We are saying this after analysing the data since 1901.”

He added that low rainfall zones, like Saurashtra, Kutch and Rajasthan, were now receiving more rainfall. “Once-high-rainfall zones like Assam, Meghalaya, Bihar and Jharkhand are now receiving less rainfall. This is because of climate change,” said Dr Mohapatra.

Mohapatra added that it was the increasing moisture-holding capacity of the dry states, over the past few years, that was considered to be the reason for the dry states getting more rainfall.

He added that a climate change-induced rise in temperature by 1°C has increased the moisture-holding capacity of the atmosphere by 7 per cent.

Dr Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, said, “The Northeast and west regions are like dipoles in terms of rainfall. While the Northeast is a wet area, the west is a dry area. However, the rainfall pattern is now shifting towards the west from the Northeast. Some shift has already taken place and both regions now are equal (in terms of rainfall). In future, the west may see more rainfall than the Northeast.”

Ravichandran added that Cherrapunji was no longer the wettest area in the country. The monsoon rainfall data suggests that Meghalaya, one of the few states which used to receive the highest rainfall in the country, has been receiving below-normal rainfall since 2001. Rajasthan has been receiving above-normal rainfall since 2001 during the monsoon.