Open AccessClimatology and trend of cold waves over India during 1971-2010
Author(s) -
Smitha Anil Nair,
D. S. Pai,
M. Rajeevan
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
mausam
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.243
H-Index - 12
ISSN - 0252-9416
DOI - 10.54302/mausam.v67i3.1384
Subject(s) - la niña , climatology , environmental science , el niño southern oscillation , heat wave , cold wave , atmospheric sciences , geography , geology , oceanography , climate change
Using Cold Wave (CW) information of 86 stations from Indian main land during the cold weather season (November to March) for the last 40 years (1971-2010), various statistical aspects of cold waves (CWs) and severe cold waves (SCWs) such as climatology and trend were examined. The link of CWs/SCWs with ENSO phases (La Nina & El Nino) was also examined. It was observed that many stations from north, northwest, east and central India together named as core CW zone (CCZ) experienced highest number of CW/SCW waves with relatively higher frequency during January. Noticeable decrease (increase) in the frequency and spatial coverage of CW/SCW days compared to their climatological values were observed during the El Nino (La Nina) years. There were significant decreasing trends in the CW/SCW days over most of the stations from CCZ. The total number of CW/SCW days/per decade over CCZ showed noticeable decrease during the recent decades 1991-2000 and 2001-2010, which coincided with the warmest decades for the country as well as for the globe. Associated with intense and persistent CW/SCW events, large human mortality were reported during some years of the study period.