How changes in the level of Arctic Sea ice can change monsoon patterns in India

Source: This post has been created based on the article “How changes in the level of Arctic Sea ice can change monsoon patterns in India”, published in The Hindu on 9^th Sep 2024.

What is the news?

Recent research has shown that fluctuations in Arctic sea ice levels are affecting the Indian summer monsoon rainfall (ISMR), making it more erratic and unpredictable.

About Study

Recently, a study has been published in the journal Remote Sensing of Environment in June.

Participants: Researchers from India’s National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, and South Korea’s Korea Polar Research Institute.

Key Findings of the Study

Atmospheric Circulations: Changes in Arctic Sea ice impact large-scale atmospheric patterns such as the Rossby waves and Asian jet streams, which affect the distribution and intensity of monsoon rains.

Influence of Arctic Sea Ice: Reduced central Arctic Sea ice leads to lower rainfall in western and peninsular India but higher rainfall in central and northern India. Meanwhile, reduced sea ice in the upper latitudes like Barents-Kara Sea region delays the onset of the monsoon, making it more unpredictable.

Climate Change’s Role: The reduction of Arctic Sea ice due to climate change exacerbates these fluctuations, leading to severe droughts in some areas while causing excessive rainfall and flooding in others.

What are Rosby Waves?

Rossby waves are large-scale atmospheric waves that primarily occur in the mid-latitudes of the Earth’s atmosphere. These are also known as planetary waves.

These waves form in the jet streams—the high-altitude air currents that flow from west to east around the planet. Their meandering patterns influence the weather across regions in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

These waves are most active in regions where there is a significant temperature difference between the equator and the poles, shaping weather patterns and influencing temperature extremes and precipitation levels worldwide.

Significance: They help balance the distribution of heat across the planet, ensuring that polar regions do not become too cold and equatorial regions do not overheat.