Assam feeling the heat of global warming

Meteorological data alysis forecasts more intense flood and drought cycles in the State by 2050

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, Dec 20: The mean temperature in Assam has increased at the rate of 0.01 degree Celsius per year, alysis of climate data by the India Meteorological Department has revealed.

There is also an increase in seasol temperature across seasons with pronounced warming in post monsoon and winter temperatures. The annual rainfall has also decreased by 2.96 mm/year during the period 1951-2010.

The alysis is based on data collected from six stations for temperature and 12 stations for rainfall.

Significant variations were also seen across seasons in the number of rainy days and in 24 hour maximum rainfall.

The southern part of gaon district and the adjoining parts of Karbi Anglong form a rain shadow zone where annual rainfall is as low as 800-1,200 mm. Water scarcity is a potential constraint for the people living in this zone and absence of effective irrigation systems or water harvesting practices add to their vulnerability. But what is of immediate concern is that the rainfall in this zone is decreasing slowly as noted in Lumding where rainfall is on the decline at a rate of 2.15 mm per year. As a result, water crisis might aggravate in this region in the coming years.

The report also projected that the temperatures may rise by 1.7-2 degree Celsius by 2050.

Only the western part of the State will experience slight decrease in rainfall, but the rest of the State will witness increasing rainfall activity which could be up to 38 per cent.

"Drought weeks are going to rise. Floods are also going to rise by more than 25 per cent in the southern parts of Assam.