Year Ender 2019 on Weather: From Heatwaves to Slow Pre-Monsoon Days, From Excessive Rainfall to Biting Winter, Here's How India Witnessed Extreme Weather Conditions This Year
As many as 2.5 million people across the country this year. On an average, about 20% of area of the country receives deficient or scanty rainfall during the monsoon season. However, the record of monsoon over the last few years has been dismal.
2019 has been an unusual year with respect to the climate in India as the country witnessed extreme weather conditions ranging from highest monsoon in the last 25 years, heatwaves, flash flooding to intense winter spells. The extreme weather events including cyclones, floods, droughts, hail storm, heat and cold waves have been increasing mainly due population and its migration towards urban areas. According to experts, climate change is the main cause behind the extreme weather patterns in India. It is due to global warming that intense bursts of rainfall is experienced as higher temperature increases the moisture-holding capacity of the atmosphere.
The monsoon season in India accounts for around 70 percent of India’s annual rainfall, but the surplus rainfall in 2019 triggered flood-like situations in several states. Despite the late monsoon onset and large deficit of rainfall during the month of June, the seasonal rainfall ended in the above normal category with 110 percent of its Long Period Average (LPA). Monsoon rainfall during July, August and September was 105 percent , 115 percent and 152 percent of its LPA respectively.
Reports, in fact, state that flash floods this year have displaced as many as 2.5 million people across the nation. On an average, about 20 percent of the area of the country receives deficient or scanty rainfall during the monsoon season. However, the record of monsoon over the last few years has been dismal.
What is Long Period Average (LPA):
The Long Period Average (LPA) is the average rainfall received by the country as a whole during the south-west monsoon, for a 50-year period. It must be noted that based on the average rainfall over the years 1951 and 2000, the current LPA is 89 cm. The LPA acts as a benchmark against which the rainfall in any monsoon season is measured.
Deficient rainfall: A country is said to have received deficient rainfall if the actual rainfall is less than 90 percent of LPA.
Excess Rainfall: A country is said to have received excess rainfall if the rainfall is greater than 110 per cent of LPA.
Normal Rainfall: A country is said to have ‘normal’ rainfall when the actual rainfall received falls between 96 and 104 per cent of LPA.
Several states of India including Bihar, Assam, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu witnessed heavy rainfall during July to September 2019, which led to recurrent flooding in these states. The incessant rainfall this year killed more than 1,600 people since June, government data showed.
Reason for excess monsoon in 2019
As per experts, much of the rainfall in 2019 was caused by an increased number of low-pressure systems. As per scientists, the increased rainfall in India this year could be associated with a phenomenon known as the Indian Ocean Dipole, when the western and eastern parts of the Indian Ocean are different temperatures. As per a study, when the western portion is warmer than the eastern portion (as it was this summer), the region experiences a stronger monsoon rainfall.
2019 Witnessed Driest June in 5 Years
The 2019 monsoon season began with the driest June in five years and below-average precipitation in July. As the rainfall began on a scanty note, private weather agency Skymet Weather, a private forecaster, predicted that this season will have lower than normal rainfall. After 1994 (110% of LPA), rainfall received in 2019 (110 % of LPA) is the highest season rainfall received by the country as a whole.
Why was 2019 an Unusual Year for Monsoon; Know Here
- After 1994, the highest season rainfall received by the country as a whole, was in 2019. In both the years (1994 and 2019), India has received 110 percent of long period average (LPA). More than 110 percent of LPA is called excess rainfall. Monsoon rainfall turned positive this year after staying below-normal for five years in a row.
- After 1931, this is the first time, the seasonal rainfall is more than LPA even after the June rainfall deficiency was more than 30% of LPA.
- In 2019, the nation recorded the highest cumulative rainfall during August-September (130 %) after 1983 (142 %)
- After 1996 which recorded 119 % of LPA, 2019 witnessed the highest recorded August rainfall i.e. 115% of LPA.
- In the history of monsoon season in India, 2019 witnessed the second highest September rainfall (152 of LPA), after 1917 (165% of LPA).
- After 2010, this is the first time, rainfalls during all the last three months (July to September) were above LPA.
Take a Look at the Monsoon Fury in India in 2019:
Bihar:
The main cause of floods in Bihar was the heavy rainfall in Nepal. One of the severely affected districts, Darbhanga was the worst-hit by flash floods owing to torrential rainfall in Terai region of Nepal. The floods affected 13 districts causing 130 deaths by the end of July. The Sitamarhi district reported the maximum number of deaths at 37, followed by Madhubani district at 30.
Maharashtra:
In Maharashtra, as many as 30 people died in the rain-related incidents across the state. Reports inform that about 4,00,000 people were evacuated in flood-ravaged cities and districts including Kolhapur, Sangali, Satara, Thane, Palghar. In September, Pune witnessed more than 100 millimeters of rainfall in a single day, killing as many as 17 people.
Kerala
Kerala, the southern state of India, reported 101 deaths this year. Over 1 lakh people were evacuated after torrential rains lashed the state. The worst affected districts include Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Ernakulam among others. Over one hundred thousand people were evacuated to a total of 1111 relief camps.
Karnataka
Karnataka witnessed incessant rains this year with North, coastal and Malnad districts being the worst affected among Bagalkot, Vijayapura Kodagu, Shivamogga, and Chikkamagalur. As many as 24 people were killed this year in rain-related incidences. Reports inform that more than 2,00,000 people were evacuated and more than 2200 rescue personnel were deployed.
Odisha
As heavy rainfall lashed Odisha in August, about 1,30,000 people in 1,012 villages and 5 cities in 9 districts were affected. The worst affected districts in the state were Kalahandi and Rayagada. More than 14,000 people were evacuated to shelters from low-lying regions after the monsoon fury in the region. Reports inform that over 2000 houses were damaged.
Heatwave in India in 2019
The year 2019 witnessed unbearable heatwaves across the nation. Scanty rainfall during pre-monsoon season and then delayed monsoon made the heat more unbearable. Reports inform that 11 of India’s 15 warmest years have occurred since 2004 and the year 2018 was the sixth-warmest year for the country from the time the record was kept since 1901.
In India, the heatwave (HW) conditions are generally experienced during the period from March to July. According to data by Ministry of Earth Sciences, a total of 20 people died of heatwaves in India in 2018 (9 in Maharashtra, 9 in Uttar Pradesh, and 2 in Jharkhand), as compared to 375 in 2017. In 2016, the death toll due to heatwave was 700 while in 2015, it was the highest at 2081.
Monsoon Retreat of 2019
The year 2019 witnessed the latest ever retreat of a monsoon on October 10, against the normal date of September 1. The previous latest retreat was recorded in 1961 when the monsoon retreat began on October 1. The delay in monsoon can also be attributed to the heatwave conditions in the country.
In 2019, monsoon was delayed by a week in Kerala, leading to a spike in temperatures across the nation. Some states experienced temperatures surpassing 45 degree Celsius, making it almost unbearable for residents. The monsoon usually covers the half of the country in the first 15 days, but this year the rainfall was scanty till July 2019 but gained momentum in August 2019.
India Shivers More in 2019 With Intense Winter Spell
In 2019, despite the late arrival of winter season, biting cold hit normal life in several states across the nation. Chilly winds swept the northern states of India including Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh among others. The hilly region witnessed sub-zero temperatures and the mercury dropping to minus. In India, December and January are the coldest months, with the lowest temperatures occurring in the Indian Himalayas.
2,400 Dead Due to Extreme Weather in 2018-19: Govt Data
Due to the extreme weather conditions across the nation, as many as 2,400 people have been killed in one year i.e. from 2018-19, the government data revealed. According to details by Minister of state for environment Babul Supriyo in Parliament, 2,405 casualties have been reported to be lost during the financial year 2018-19 in the country due to cyclonic storms/flash floods/landslides/cloudbursts etc.
The United Nations has been warning of runaway climate change with disastrous consequences. The ill-effects of climate change are visible across the nation. Climate change, is making the country warmer and is leading to disruptions in climate patterns. According to a forecast by the International Labour Organisation, by 2030, India will lose the equivalent of 34 million full-time jobs due to global warming, particularly in agriculture and construction.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 24, 2019 03:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).