Sandeep Mishra
Post News Network
Bhubaneswar: If everyone wonders why it still does not feel cold enough even though the part of the year is known as winter and the first week of December is set to be over, many are reminded of oft-cited phrases such as climate change and global warming. Orissa POST analysed weather data and spoke to experts to understand the causes behind the baffling weather pattern in the state.
As per data from the Meteorological Centre here, the average minimum temperature in the state in recent weeks has remained a whopping 7 to 8 degree Celsius above the average winter temperature witnessed in recent years. In such a scenario, it seems a winter season as most people remember is going to be a distant dream for the state this time.
In the past five years, fluctuations in the minimum temperatures in the capital city have also surprised many. The city had recorded a lowest of 11.7 degree Celsius in 2011, but it fell to 10.7 degree Celsius in 2012. In 2013, the lowest temperature recorded was 12.7 degree Celsius while it was 11.2 degree Celsius in 2014.
However, the minimum temperature in Bhubaneswar this year remained static between 18 and 20 degree Celsius. The city had recorded an all-time lowest of 9.1 degree Celsius back in 1996. Phulabani was the only place that had recorded an all-time lowest temperature in the state – minus 0.6 degree Celsius – December 24, 2001. But the average minimum temperature at Phulabani this winter has remained around 11 degree Celsius.
Sundargarh and Bolangir had also recorded an all-time lowest temperature of 1.6 degree Celsius in the winter of 1993 and Sambalpur had recorded the lowest of 3.8 degree Celsius in December 2000. The average minimum temperature at these three places this year has remained 17 degree Celsius.
“Rainfall in the state remained very disappointing this year. It was the worst in the post-monsoon season when the state recorded 78 per cent less rain than normal. Rain is needed for absorption of moisture from the atmosphere. If a similar situation of deficit rain continues, the weather is most likely to take a deadly turn in the coming months,” said Met director Sarat Sahu to Orissa POST.
Rainfall data reveals that while Orissa was supposed to get 111.7 mm rain in October, it received only 24.3 mm rain. In November, the state received a mere 6.2 mm rain as against 27.6 mm it was supposed to get. Thus, the state received 78 per cent deficit rain in the past two months.
The weatherman says rain is very necessary for the state right now and warns that if there is no rain, there may be no winter this year and the state may witness a very harsh summer next year. “If the current weather condition continues, the state is most likely to witness an extreme heat wave condition next year,” cautioned Sahu.
Such unexpected weather phenomena, according to environmentalist and the director of Centre for Environmental Studies Sailabala Padhi, are the results of rapid urbanisation and an incessantly growing population. “We need to think globally and act locally. We human beings are a major contributor for such disconcerting weather change. The damage has already been done, but it can be rectified to some extent only with our efforts,” said Padhi.
Echoing Padhi’s views, Sahu said: “We have been continuously misusing land and other natural resources by activities such as building houses on farmland, riverbeds and even in areas categorised as forest. These activities have definitely contributed to an imbalance in nature, which has resulted in a slow but deadly change of climate”.
Notably, the state witnessed two consecutive cyclones and multiple low pressures in the past two years whereas a similar phenomenon has been witnessed by Tamil Nadu this year. Experts have stated that the state experienced the situation of drought because there was no rain in October and November. The drought situation contributed to a deepening farm crisis and a spate of incidents of farmers committing suicide.
However, Met officials are optimistic of rain around December 11 due to the possible formation of a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal. The expected rain may not be heavy, but even moderate rain can contribute to slight improvement in the current weather system, said weather experts.
