El Nino's Hidden Impact: Intensifying India's Rainfall Extremes
The study explores El Nino's influence on India's rainfall, showing it can increase extreme downpours in wetter regions by over 50% while reducing light rainfall. This dual effect is significant for understanding climate change impacts on India's monsoon seasons, with data spanning 1901-2020.
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- India
A new study reveals that while El Nino traditionally suppresses monsoons, it may cause an increase in extreme rainfall events in India's wetter regions. Researchers from the City College of New York and Columbia University found a more than 50% increase in chances of heavy downpours during an El Nino.
El Nino, a warm phase of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation cycle, involves changes in the Pacific Ocean, which affects air patterns and generally reduces Indian seasonal rainfall on a broad scale. However, the effect on daily extreme rainfall appears more complex, suggesting impacts from ongoing climate change.
The study, using data from 1901 to 2020, concludes that India's dry regions may experience fewer and weaker rainfalls during El Nino events. Meanwhile, its wet regions can see intensified storms, marking an important insight for assessing climate risk in tropical areas.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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