Top 10 stories of the week that was (July 29-August 4)
Down To Earth recaps the primary environment, health and developmental news from the week just gone by
Increased sea surface temperature affecting Indian monsoon: Study
Global warming hiatus contributed to the weakening of the Mascarene High in the Southern Indian Ocean, finds study
Record number of low pressure systems a cause of August floods
Even though they account for 44 per cent of monsoon rainfall, these systems and their counting is not completely understood
Monsoon 2021: Is it time for severe drought in India’s northeast and northwest?
September rain will not be enough to compensate for deficient rainfall in northwest and northeast states of India, says IMD forecast
Third-longest monsoonal break in this century has ended
Core monsoon saw suppressed rainfall, trough to shift again towards the Himalayan foothills early next week
More dry days ahead? Monsoon on continuous break for past 11 days
The longest consecutive break spell was reported in 1972 when the core monsoon zone did not receive any rainfall for 17 days at a stretch
Delayed paddy plantation has cascading effect on north India’s air pollution: Harvard University
Delhi and other parts of the region can experience lesser pollution if certain districts of Punjab do not delay planting paddy, say researchers
Bihar faces drought-like situation again, farmers prepare to migrate for work
11 districts in state were pronounced drought-hit in 2022; Kharif paddy sowing hit this year too
Monsoons can go for a toss. What will that mean to us?
Peninsular India will get more rain while central, north India will be dry; the lives of 300 million west Africans will also be impacted
Cyclone Gulab: Landfall process starts
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik keeping close watch on situation; over 20,000 people evacuated from areas in Gulab’s path
East and Northeast India recorded second-warmest July in over a century: IMD
Rainfall over East & Northeast India was the 4th lowest since 1901, stated IMD
Normal monsoons becoming rarer despite forecasts to the contrary
A prime example of the rarity of normal monsoons is seen in India’s North East where the monsoon rainfall during 18 of the last 19 years …
Monsoon reaches Bay of Bengal; Kerala onset on May 31: IMD
The intense cyclonic activities over the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea might influence the monsoon system
Micro-irrigation: The way ahead for sustainable agriculture
In the age of climate change and water scarcity, micro-irrigation can help increase crop yield and decrease water, fertiliser and labour …
After excess rainfall, now poor prices leave Marathwada cotton farmers in debt
Excess rainfall has caused a loss of about 50 per cent across the cotton belt region
Chasing monsoon 2023: India may see normal July rainfall, says analysis
An analysis of forecast data based on three climate models suggests the country will have a normal monsoon in July — 3 millimetres above …
47 per cent chance of deficit rainfall this year, says IMD
Region-wise, the IMD forecast deficit monsoon in the north-east region, and below normal rainfall in north-west region
What’s driving food prices in new normal climate?
Monsoon as a unitary weather phenomenon is no more a valid indicator for food prices as its progress and distribution have changed completely
Unusual western disturbances in May could be indicative of changing climate
Heavy rain and hailstorms in May were due to six WDs, may interact with monsoon weather systems
There’s 50% chance of monsoon to be below normal or deficit this year
Second half of primary rainfall season for India will witness impact of El Nino, says IMD
Flash droughts hit nearly 15% rice, maize areas in 1951-2018 monsoons: Study
At least 39 flash droughts occurred in 1951-2018; 82% occurred during the monsoon season, the study found
India witnessing second-lowest pre-monsoon rainfall since 1954
According IMD, India received 99 mm rainfall between March and May — with a deficit of 23 per cent
How a low pressure in the Arabian Sea can affect the monsoon
While the IMD has said the low pressure area will create favourable conditions for the monsoon’s advance, others are more skeptical
Cold waves to locust attack: How climate crisis impacted India in 2020
Delhi recorded its highest rainfall in 10 years for January 2020; There were 354 heavy rainfall events across India in March, April
Synchronised rise of ‘bad air’ in cities of Indo-Gangetic Plain in 2020: CSE analysis
Landlocked region cannot rely on mitigation efforts by the National Capital Region alone, say experts