PUNE: Climate change will alter the pattern of the monsoon in the country in the next 50 years, reducing the number of rainy days in a year and increasing the intensity of rainfall. This observation was made by scientists at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, a leading meteorological research institute in the country.
“Our study says that the number of rainy days will decrease by 8 to 10 per cent and the intensity of rainfall will increase,” said K Krishna Kumar, programme manager, climate change, IITM. “As more moisture builds up in the surroundings, it will help increase precipitation. These changes in the characteristics of the monsoon are because of climate change.”
Kumar said that the effects of these changes will be more visible in the latter part of this century, i.e. after 2050. “No major changes will be visible in the next 30 to 40 years. On an average, the country witnesses 50 to 60 rainy days, which will go down by about 5 to 6 days,” he said.
Climate change will also affect temperature. “This is a more serious concern, as an increase in temperature will have an impact on the agriculture and health of the people,” he observed.
Kumar said the temperature is expected to rise by around 2 degrees Celsius by the end of this century, with a gradual hike in day as well as night temperatures. The impact of these changes will be more visible in regions like central and North India, he said.
