Skymet weather

West Bengal’s climate action plan: Indian Government gives fast approval

Mamata Banerjee’s demands about bailing the ailing state out of its inherited financial mess may have fallen to deaf ears in the Central Government, but the Union Ministry of Environment did not take much time in approving the action plan proposed by the state government in respect to arrest the deteriorating the worsening climate.

The plan now awaits the sanction of a funding agency for fund allocation and implementation. West Bengal ministry will now be waiting for World Bank, Asian Development Bank or a similar agency to come forward and fund the climate action plan they have put forward.

It may be remembered here that previously World Bank had published a report stating the climate of West Bengal among the most vulnerable to being affected by global warming. As per the study put forward by World Bank areas of Tiljala, Topsia, Tangra and Patuli will be worst hit once the climate changes set forth. It is even more alarming as the report predicts the changes to come to notice as early as 2021 if nothing is done immediately.

The state government of Bengal also deserves applaud to take proactive approach towards the concerning climatic condition of the state. Even when other states are working on an integrated plan of climate control, Mamata Banerjee led government was one of the first states to have submitted and got approved the plan.

It is learned that the plan includes immediate actions required to be taken in areas of Sunderbans, Dooars and Darjeeling to cut down on greenhouse gases. These areas are the most vulnerable points with issues like soil erosion and scarcity of water plaguing the residents.

West Bengal government is already working in coastal areas of Digha, Sankerpur and Mandarmani implementing project approved under funds of Asian Development Bank.

A warm winter so far

If you’re live in the city of Delhi, you would know what the actual meaning of the ‘dilli ki sardi’ is and how it sends a cold shiver down the spine! December weather in Delhi is not just a favorite of the city people but it also attracts foreign tourists, who travel to the capital every year especially in the months of December to go around for a ‘dilli darshan’. But the weather in Delhi has been quite the opposite this year and therefore it won’t be wrong to call this winter not just ‘not so cold’ but a pretty warm winter.

It’s the 19th of December and most of us are still wearing only a thin layer or two and towards the afternoon, which turns warm and sunnier, you feel like taking even that one sweater off! Wondering why? Well it’s all because of the continuous passing of the ‘Western Disturbance’, with very little gap before the second arrives, that does not give time for the temperatures to fall, instead, leads to a rise in the minimums. That’s another reason forecasters can say it’s a ‘no fog situation’ this year. December weather in Delhi till now has seen only shallow fog in pockets in the early morning hours. Fog is related to the humidity levels and wind speed; if the humidity levels are low and wind speed is high, a pattern we saw this winter, fog remains close to zero. And because the fog remains nil, the day temperatures do not fall, skies remain clear and afternoons are hotter in spite of the strong northerly winds from the hills (8knots/18-19kmph). Every winter at least two to three zero visibility/dense fog days in the months of December are experienced (for example: Dec 25th, 26th and 27th in the year 2010 observed a low visibility of below 100meters).

For the coming weeks too, the Skymet Weather  forecasts for December weather in Delhi shows no rain and no significant fog, thereby indicating that weather in Delhi will continue to be warm for the coming few days

Under the current trend, this year may prove to be the 'warmest winter' in the last 2 to 3 years with the December temperatures hovering between 24⁰C maximum (average) and 10.9⁰C minimum (average). However meteorologists at Skymet Weather Services predict that the biting cold winter will begin in Delhi once the New Year sets in. The January 2013 weather in Delhi will experience its usual drop in temperatures. “Our forecast models show temperatures below normal and dense fog hours in January”, says Mahesh Palawat, Head of the forecasting team of Skymet Weather Services.

Photo by Parth Joshi.

 

 

 

Snowfall, rain to reduce over J&K; rainfall likely over northeast, extreme south

Snowfall and rain is expected to reduce over Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand during the next 24 hours. Rainfall is likely over Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, southern parts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands during the next 24 to 48 hours.

The Western Disturbance over Jammu & Kashmir will move out of the region in an eastward direction during the next 24 hours. Snowfall and rain would lessen to finally stop during the next 24 to 48 hours over the region.

The exit of Western Disturbance would lead to resumption of cooler northerly winds that would bring down the minimum temperatures by 4 to 5 degrees during the next 48 hours over northwest India. Winds would be colder as with better sunshine, snow will melt in the hills and winds coming from these places will cool the northwest, east and central India.

The maximum temperatures would also rise but that would not be of any comfort as northwesterly winds are strong. Though due to more speed in the winds, fog conditions would not develop during the next 48 hours over these regions. Minimum temperatures would also drop by 2ºC to 3ºC over east and adjoining central India during this period.

Shallow fog like conditions would prevail over Bihar and sub-Himalayan West Bengal during the next 24 hours due to the presence of an anti-cyclonic circulation, which is providing moisture in the region. Relatively strong winds have lessened the fog in the last 24 hours. The Western Disturbance as a cyclonic circulation lies over northeastern states. It would give rain at one or two places during the next 24 hours.

In south Peninsula, the cyclonic circulation continues to persist over Lakshadweep. This will continue to bring rain in extreme southern parts of the country over south coastal Tamil Nadu and Kerala during the next 24 hours. The trough of low pressure area lies over southeast Bay of Bengal and neighbouring areas. The Andaman & Nicobar Islands would receive rain at a few places during the next 24 hours.

 

Photograph by Jim Yardley

Nainital may receive less snowfall this new year

Nainital, the beautiful lake city in Uttarakhand has been one of the most sought destinations during winters to enjoy snowfall. It is in December when tourists flock in to witness snowfall in the mountains as well as over the lake city. New year celebrations draw a lot of these tourists towards the end of the year. But the Indian Meteorological Department has predicted lesser snowfall this year in Nainital and its surrounding areas other than the high hills at higher altitudes.

The reason behind less snowfall, cited by IMD, is the absence of strong Western Disturbance (moist and warmer winds originating in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Sea) during the last days of December.

Skymet weather also anticipates cool and dry weather conditions over Nainital during the next ten days. The Western Disturbance, which is expected over Jammu & Kashmir at the start of next week, would not bring snowfall in Nainital. By that time the minimum temperature would have drop to around 4 degrees. Wind penetrations would be stronger leading to sharp cold weather.

Another Western Disturbance is expected on December 30 but even this one is feeble and would not give snowfall in Nainital. The higher altitudes would receive snowfall and rain during New Years Eve, Skymet weather forecasts.

But that should not disappoint tourists, as there are enough scenic attractions in Nainital during this time of the year. The New Years Eve may have cloudy to partly cloudy weather with a few spells of rain. Melting snows in the mountains would increase chill during the start of the year in Nainital. So far, the city received its first snowfall of the year on December 11 and it continued till December 15.

Weather in major airports of India today

Every year the month of December records at least 2 to 3 zero visibility days in Delhi and dense fog hours at other metropolitan cities that causes a number of flight cancellations. But this year due to strong winds and low humidity levels, only shallow fog and mist in the early morning hours has been observed. Here we have a compiled a list of the weather in Indian Airports in all the major cities.

Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi.  

No fog in the Delhi Airport is expected for the next 24 hours, as the flow of the northwesterly winds coming from the north will be strong. Such weather in Delhi airport is particularly unusual this year; the winter season has been comparatively warmer with no significant fog and sunny days. So you can be rest assured that your flight will not be cancelled.

Sri Guru Ram Dass jee International Airport, Amritsar

High wind speed will not allow fog to form at the Amritsar airport either. Your plans to visit relatives or a vacation will not be hampered by any flight delays.

Chaudhary Charan Singh International airport, Lucknow

A lucky day for the people of Lucknow. No fog or mist will be observed. Skies in the early morning hours will be clear.

Lok Nayak Jaiprakash Narayan airport, Patna

Good news for Patna, fog free day as the moderate fog that had been there has passed. Wind speed has picked up and the visibility levels have improved considerably. Bihar will notice a declining fog trend in the coming days.

Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport, Varanasi

No flights will be delayed at the Varanasi Airport as the day will be bright and sunny, humidity levels will be low, thus no fog at all. Skies will clear with no clouds.

Netaji Subash Chnadra Bose airport, Kolkata

Calm northwesterly winds and the moisture feed from the Bay of Bengal will create shallow fog conditions in Kolkata. Visibility in the early morning hours could be as low as 300 - 400meters. This fog condition is not dense enough to cause any delays in air traffic.

Bengaluru International airport

Moderate fog over Bengaluru, from 5:30am to 6:30am might cause some difficulty to people driving in the early morning hours but it will not disrupt any major flights at the airport. Though travelers must stay in touch with the airport authorities to find out if there are any chances of their early morning flights getting canceled or delayed. This unpredictable fog trend over Bengaluru has often baffled forecasters. The change in the direction of the local winds in the city and the moisture getting trapped in the atmosphere causes the fog to form, explain forecasters.

Times are lucky for travelers and airport authorities right now but, not for too long! Our forecasters predict fog in Indian Airport to begin at the onset of January 2013.

Photo by julianlimjl.

 

 

 

 

 

Indian Water crisis: Hyderabad may run dry in 3 years

It was poised as India’s Silicon Valley city with swanky offices of multinationals donning the skyline of the city. However a revelation by the scientists at the premier National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) have shook the city authorities with an impact more than an earthquake.  As per the scientists the ground water declining in Hyderabad at a major rapid space that may result in the city taps running dry in next 3 years.

Despite a very good monsoon in 2011, the current water levels in few parts of Hyderabad including Sanjeevareddy Nagar and Maredpally were at a depth of just about 18 metres. The situation is equally bad in other observatory zones set up by the scientists.

Apart from remorseless waste of available water both by industries and common men, scientists also hold the town planning a major reason for drying up of water tables resulting water crisis. In the concrete jungle of India there is little unpaved area these days, hence it becomes very difficult for rain water to seep into the ground. In an ideal condition where 16% of rain water converts into ground water, scientists noticed a drop by 50 percent of the phenomenon happening in case of Hyderabad. That explains the city being in such crisis condition despite having decent annual rainfall. Also in the last few years concrete jungles have come up at the cost of precious water bodies in the state. Only 300 lakes in the city remain today that once boasts of 900 lakes in the 60s.

Hyderabad is the capital city for the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. The 65 sq. mtr area city is situated on the bank of Musi River and on Deccan Plateau in Southern part of the country. With a population of 6.8 million people the city is poised to be one of the major cosmopolitan in the country. The water crisis in the city will create a migrating population to the other metros in India including Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai – all of whom are already struggling with their depleting water tables.

Float Festival in India: Water crisis in India hits Hindu festival

Water crisis has raised an alarm and made the local authorities take notice of the drying Vaigai river in Madurai. It’s not a new phenomenon that Vaigai dries up, however this year the officials from Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR and CE) Department and Public Works Department  actually have to buckle up and start searching for alternate water sources to keep the local Float festival happening in the region.

Float festival happens in Madurai on a full moon night in the Tamil month of Thai. It’s an age old ritual where Hindu deities are taken for a boat ride in an artificial tank created by King Thirumalai Nayak in 17th century. This year the annual 12 day festival is scheduled to mark its end in 27th January.

As per a report published in the leading English daily The Hindu officials have decided to pump water from the Manalur pumping station and fill up the artificial tan. However after a trial run early this week some major leakages were identified between Tirupuvanam and Manalur and it was affecting the flow of water. Efforts are underway to plug the leakages, fill up the tank and move ahead with the celebration.

It must be noted that Vaigai river gets major feed from the Periyar Dam in Kumuli, Kerala. Water from the Periyar River in Kerala is diverted into the Vaigai River in Tamil Nadu via a tunnel through the Western Ghats. Apart from having immense mythological importance this 258 km long river provides water for irrigation for the Madurai district and the Dindigul district as well as drinking water to Madurai and Andipatti.

Water Policy in India: Maharashtra Government charts new water allocation policy

After the Haryana, it’s now Maharashtra’s turn to sit up and take notice of the depleting water table in the state. Last year’s rain deficit had already created a panic situation among the farmers of the state. As per new water policy brought in by Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority (MWRRA) there will be a stipulated measurement of water allocation for residential and domestic use from now on. Earlier this year, in a similar measure Punjab and Haryana court had barred Real Estate companies in Gurgaon from using unlimited ground water for building high rises in the city.

It’s an interesting phenomenon to see that the Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority (MWRRA) in its new policy stresses that not more than twenty percent of water should be allocated for non-irrigational purposes however with the increasing demand for domestic and drinking water requirements pressure on the water sources are increasing continuously. The objective for MWRRA in future days will be to encourage the domestic and other non-irrigational users to use recycled water as much as possible. New agreements with the domestic users will ensure that the suppliers reduce supply of water over the years if the water reservoir does not attain design storage.

MWRRA also intends to ask the Industrial bodies in the state to furnish data regarding the water usage pattern including the amount of water recycled and amount extracted from ground water table. Similarly municipal corporations and councils will be asked to furnish data regarding the population increase in their zone as well as the level of unaccounted water use. The authorities will also keep a strict eye on implementation of roof top rain water harvesting and arrangement of sewage treatment.

MWRRA is strict on the guidelines and wishes to implement punishment measures for associations, organizations or individuals failing to achieve the targets. Among the punitive measures suggested are penal bulk tariff rates, reduction in allocation etc. at the time of renewal.  All new agreements will have a maximum validity of five years.

This is indeed a good move from a state that receives one of the highest rainfalls in the country. It clearly shows the government intent to create a solution for water troubles as well as a serious long term view towards the future. It now is up to the other states to take example from the book of Maharashtra and make serious move to save the depleting water table in their area.

Weather in major airports of India today

Foggy conditions usually affect air traffic in India during this time of the year. Fog dominates weather in Delhi airport every year, leading to disruptions and delays in flight operations. Weather in Indian airports remain prone to fog as cool and dry winds around this time of the year mix up with moist winds coming in from the seas building up optimum conditions for fog.

Indira Gandhi International airport, New Delhi

Fog in Delhi airport is not expected during the next 24 hours, as stronger northwesterly winds are not letting the moist winds stay in the region. Hence, visibility is good and flights are likely to be on time during the next 24 hours.

Sri Guru Ram Dass jee International airport, Amritsar

The airport in Amritsar has a partly cloudy sky and there is no possibility of fog and visibility is clear. Minimum temperature is expected to rise marginally in Amritsar.

Chaudhary Charan Singh International airport, Lucknow

Lucknow airport would be fog free and flights will be on time. Strong northwesterly winds would not let fog formation over the airport. The visibility at the airport would be 1000m to 1200m during morning hours.

Lal Bahadur Shashtri Airport, Varanasi

Lal Bahadur Shashtri Airport in Varanasi would also remain fog free.

Lok Nayak Jaiprakash Narayan airport, Patna

The moderate foggy conditions during the morning hours would become shallow and flights would not be disrupted. The visibility would become better compared to yesterday.

Netaji Subash Chandra Bose airport, Kolkata

Shallow fog is expected to continue over the Kolkata airport but that would not affect rail, road or air traffic.

Bangaluru International airport

Bangaluru airport will be free of fog during the next 24 hours and the visibility would be better leading to free-flowing arrival and departures of flights.

Fog in Indian airports is not likely to affect air traffic yet, but considering the past it can build up at any time in the near future.

 

Photograph by airport-technology.com

Snow increased in Antarctica; Global warming over??

According to a paper published in the journal- Nature Geoscience, Paul Holland, the lead author of the report stated that snowfall in Antarctica has increased slowly, thus making the November temperature in Antarctica icy cold. It was observed that till October snowfall in Antarctica the levels of snow in the Arctic Sea surrounding Antarctica, reached its annual winter-maximum and set a record high. Snowfall in Antarctica extended over 19.44 million square kilometers (7.51 million square miles) in 2012, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC). The previous record of 19.39 million kilometers (7.49 million square miles) was set in 2006. Thus proving that the October snowfall in Antarctica has increased at an average of 0.9% per decade. Scientists noted that the strong pattern of decreasing ice coverage in the Amundsen Seas region and increasing ice coverage in the Ross Sea region is suggestive of changes in atmospheric circulation. The year 2012 continues a long-term contrast between the two hemispheres, with decreasing sea ice coverage in the Arctic and increasing sea ice coverage in the Antarctic, they added.

Researchers explain an expansion of winter ice could be due to the wind condition in Antarctica or the snowfall in Antarctica, whereas the Arctic summer sea ice decline is more closely linked to a decadal climate warming caused mainly by burning fossil fuels and clearing forests. Sea ice is an extensive layer of frozen ocean water that cools the polar zones - the Arctic in the northern hemisphere and Antarctica in the southern hemisphere. It therefore helps immensely in moderating the global climate. Climate change scientists claim that the growth in Antarctica offsets the retreat of sea ice in the Arctic, demonstrating that nature has a self-righting mechanism. They also question dire warnings from many climate scientists of a warmer world by the end of the century that will set the stage for a long period of catastrophic extreme weather and rising sea levels as the great land-based ice sheets start to melt, first Greenland in the Arctic, and then on a much larger scale in Antarctica. Wind conditions in Antarctica and ocean movements isolate Antarctica from the global weather patterns, keeping it very cold. By contrast, the Arctic Ocean is closely linked with the land climate systems around it, making it more sensitive to change, thus getting closer to the reason why this phenomenon of increased snowfall in Antarctica occurred. The worry is that if global warming continues on the track predicted by many climate scientists, Antarctica's sea ice and its vast land-based ice sheet will eventually follow. Research has shown that about 52 million years ago, when the concentration of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas was more than twice its current level, Antarctica had palm trees and other tropical vegetation and summer temperatures on the coast were between 20 to 27 degrees Celsius!

But the November temperature of Antarctica (-29.0⁰C to -34.0⁰C, average) will not be the same forever. And we know that the snowfall in Antarctica will not save us. Sea level is rising – that is a fact. Now we need to understand how quickly we have to adapt our coastal infrastructure; and that depends on how much CO2 we keep emitting into the atmosphere.

Photo by NASA.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cadbury launches chocolates that will not melt in hot weather

Buzz is that Chocolate maker Cadbury has found a way to make a chocolate that does not melt in hot weather. The new bars of Cadbury Chocolate Dairy Milk stay completely solid even when exposed to temperatures of 40ºC for more than three hours.

Chocolate in winter remains solid but it is hot weather or summer when they melt rather quickly. Standard chocolate has a melting point of 34ºC; therefore new bars of Cadbury Chocolate are ideal for warmer weather. The firm insists that the new recipe will be available only in hot countries like India and Brazil.

The secret to the new bars of Cadbury Chocolate is a change in the so-called ‘conching step’, where a container filled with metal beads grinds the ingredients, which usually include cocoa butter, vegetable oils, milk and sugar. Chocolate in winter is usually more enjoyed than in summer but from now on you can take a solid bite even in the blithering summer heat.

Cadbury has developed a way of breaking down sugar particles into smaller pieces, reducing how much fat covers them and making the Cadbury Chocolate bar more resistant to heat.

Calling their breakthrough ‘temperature-tolerant Cadbury Chocolate, scientists at Cadbury’s research and development plant in Bourneville, near Birmingham have set out the method for making it in an 8,000-word patent application.

Photograph by Leon Neal AFP

More snowfall, rain in J&K, HP & Uttarakhand; Fog to continue over east UP, Bihar & WB

Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are expected to receive more snowfall and rain during the next 24 to 48 hours. Foggy conditions over east Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and sub-Himalayan West Bengal would continue during the next 24 hours. Rain is expected over Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, south Tamil Nadu, Kerala and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands during the next 48 hours.

Yesterday's Western Disturbance over north Pakistan has arrived over Jammu & Kashmir and would impact the weather of northwest India during the next 24 to 48 hours. The hills of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand would receive more snowfall during the next two days. Rain would also occur over the plains in these regions. The Western Disturbance is moving in an eastward direction.

The weather system would hold the minimum temperatures in northwest India by cutting off the cool and dry northerly winds. The maximum temperatures may rise a bit during the next 24 to 48 hours over these regions due to persistent clouding. The exit of the weather system would again let the chilly winds resume from north to drop the temperatures by 4 to 5 degrees after the next 48 hours.

However, northerly cool winds would continue to reach the Indo-Gangetic plains and adjoining central India to drop the minimum temperatures by 2 to 3 degrees during the next 24 hours. The minimum temperatures are below normal over these regions and conditions in these areas are much more cooler than northwest India.

Fog is expected to prevail over east Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and sub-Himalayan West Bengal but would be less dense now as the stronger northerly winds would push out the moist easterly winds from the Bay of Bengal.

The Western Disturbance, which moved out of the Western Himalayan region in the last 24 hour has reached over Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Rain is expected at one or two places over these states during this period.

In the south, southern parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala along with Lakshadweep Islands would continue to receive light rain as the cyclonic circulation is persisting over Lakshadweep. In the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, rain intensity would decrease as the trough of low pressure area in the south Andaman Sea has moved to southeast Bay of Bengal.

Photograph by Mohd Amin War







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