Capturing the rains – on unpredictable weather events

Source: This post is created based on the article ‘Capturing the rains’, published in The Hindu on 3^rd October, 2023.

Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 1, changes in critical geographical features and effect of such changes

News: India recorded its first monsoon deficit since 2018. The mains reason is said to be El Nino effect this year.

From 2019-2022, the Indian monsoon was primarily influenced by La Niña, a cooling phase, which often correlates with above-average rainfall.

This year, monsoon was also irregular. North India faced unexpectedly heavy rainfall, while Cloudbursts in Himachal Pradesh made life difficult.  Whereas, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, and Karnataka reported extreme water stress.

What should be done?

First, the unpredictable nature of the monsoon underscores the need for more resilient infrastructure. It would help in tackling erratic global climate patterns.

Second, forecast models should be improved to predict significant weather changes more accurately.