Climate atlas finds summers, winters in India to get warmer, Kharif season to see more rainfall

Subject: Geography

Context:

Summers and winters in India have become warmer over the last three decades and are projected to become warmer as the effects of climate impact become more pronounced. The rainfall during the Kharif season — June to October — is also expected to increase, finds a study.

Climate Atlas:

Climate Atlas of India: District-Level Analysis of Historical and Projected Climate Change Scenarios by the Bengaluru-based think tank Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP).
It assessed the changes in the observed and future climate.
The think tank looked at climate variability at the district level for 723 districts in 28 states in India, excluding Union territories.

Findings of the study:

It presented historical trends in summer (March to May) maximum and winter (December to February) minimum temperatures from 1990—2019.
It also analysed Kharif’s (June to September) season rainfall during the period.
It also showed future trends in temperature, rainfall, and extreme events for the future (2021—2050) as changes compared to the historical period for two climate scenarios.
The temperature in all districts showed an increase in both summer maximum and winter minimum temperatures from 1990 to 2019.
- A warming of up to 0.5 degrees Celsius was recorded in 70 per cent of the districts for the maximum summer temperature.
- Severe heatwaves or days with temperature departure from the normal have also increased and are expected to rise further.
A higher warming of 0.5℃—0.9℃ was recorded in the districts of the northern states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat and the northeastern states.
The winter minimum temperature increased by 0.5℃ in all districts.
The warming in the northern states was higher compared to the southern states.
The Kharif season rainfall is projected to increase relative to the historical period by 25 per cent–35 per cent in 2 per cent of the districts and 15 per cent—25 per cent in 18 per cent of the districts.
It is expected to go up 10 per cent-15 per cent in 35 per cent of districts and less than 10 per cent for the rest.

India and the climate change:

India is the 13th most vulnerable country to climate change. Since more than 60 per cent of its agriculture is rainfed and it hosts 33 per cent of the world’s poor, climate change will have significant impacts on the food and nutritional security.
These maps are showing the effect of climate change on various regions of India.