Rainfall and other forms of Precipitation

During the year 2011, the temperatures have been below normal over north and northwestern parts of India due to the enhanced activity of western disturbances. These conditions had raised many apprehensions about the possible impact on the subsequent monsoon, if any.

This paper in Journal of Earth Systems Science deals with uncertainties in downscaled relative humidity for a semi-arid region - Malaprabha basin in India. Researchers and decision-makers who assess the impact of climate change in river basin development, agriculture, hydrology, irrigation management, etc., require future scenarios of relative humidity.

Its aim aim was to improve the capacity of target communities to better manage in times of disaster. To set in motion a process that would sustain a short-term project, the Aga Khan Development Network drew on guiding principles developed from its experiences of projects in disaster reconstruction and more comprehensive development programs: high-quality community-based interventions, working on multiple fronts, and fostering linkages with strong institutional partners.

At the core of the project’s disaster management and mitigation strategy was the creation of empowered and highly motivated community-based organizations; their participation was critical in shaping and implementing initiatives that would best serve the needs of the vulnerable, particularly women and children.

This article published in Current Scienc

The greater Himalayan region “the roof of the world” – contains the most extensive and rugged high altitude areas on Earth, and the largest areas covered by glaciers and permafrost outside the polar regions.

Recent scientific studies show that global warming is already causing environmental changes that will have significant global economic and social impacts. As the world's 4th largest emitter of greenhouse gases, India has to juggle the imperative demand for economic development with pressures for greater efficiency in the use of energy.

Climate change is a change in the statistical properties of the climate system when considered over long periods of time, regardless of cause. Climate change reflects a change in the energy balance of the climate system, i.e. changes the relative balance between incoming solar radiation and outgoing infrared radiation from Earth. The threat emanates from accumulated green house gas emissions in the atmosphere, generated through long term and intensive industrial growth and high consumption life styles of developed countries.

This paper in Journal of Earth System Science attempts to estimate the possible rate of land subsidence of Kolkata City including Salt Lake City and the adjoining East Kolkata Wetlands located at the lower part of the deltaic alluvial plain of South Bengal basin. Land subsidence is an environmental hazard which is caused by overdraft of groundwater or oil extraction and results in gradual settling or sudden sinking of the earth’s surface owing to subsurface movement of the materials of the earth. 

The occurrence of exceptionally heavy rainfall events and associated flash floods in many areas during recent years prompted the researchers to study long-term changes in extreme rainfall over India. 

It indicates that the aquatic ecosystem of an area disappeared due to unplanned development of agro ecosystems and human settlements. This area was earlier covered with ponds, wetlands and ox-bow lakes. Now, during the rainy season, inhabitants of these wards face severe problem of water logging and pollution. 

Article and Image courtesy: NASA

Bangladesh typically experiences a mild winter from October to March; a hot, muggy summer from March to June; and a warm, rainy monsoon from June to October. By early July 2011, rains had already transformed northeastern Bangladesh.