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The onset of a strong El Niño event led to an unusual winter season, with <keyword id="6355648" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="summer" source="Orion">summer</keyword>-like conditions arriving prematurely as early as February this year. Although the El Niño phenomenon has now moderated and is transitioning towards a neutral phase, the country must prepare for an exceptionally harsh summer ahead.<br /><br />If you've been struggling with the heat already, the news isn't comforting. The <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="india" source="keywords">India</keyword> Meteorological Department (<keyword id="19933636" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="imd" source="keywords">IMD</keyword>) has issued a stark warning for the upcoming summer season spanning from April to June, anticipating scorching temperatures and prolonged heatwaves across most regions of the country.<br /><br />Expect both daytime and nighttime temperatures to remain higher than usual in many areas, except for parts of northeast and northwest India. Extended periods of intense heatwaves are forecasted to affect South, Central, and East India, as well as the northwestern plains, throughout April, May, and June.<br /><br />Moreover, there's a significant likelihood of heatwaves lasting 10-20 days, surpassing the typical duration of 4-8 days. Central and western regions, including Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha, are anticipated to experience the brunt of these extreme heatwaves.<br /><br />In terms of pre-monsoon rainfall, April is expected to see normal rains, with increased precipitation predicted for May and June in Northwest, Central, North Peninsular, East, and Northeast India. However, coastal areas in both the East and West, as well as West-central India, can expect below-normal rainfall, offering little relief from the sweltering conditions.<br /><br />Heatwaves pose serious risks, particularly for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, young children, and individuals with health issues, who are more susceptible to heat-related illnesses like heatstroke, heat exhaustion, and dehydration. Additionally, extreme heat can strain power grids, transportation, and other infrastructure. To mitigate these risks, proactive measures such as establishing cooling centres, issuing heat advisories, and implementing strategies to reduce urban heat buildup are crucial.<br /><br />Furthermore, this period of intense heat coincides with the <keyword id="19895394" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="lok-sabha" source="keywords">Lok Sabha</keyword> elections (April 19th - June 1st), where nearly a billion people are expected to participate. Union Earth Sciences Minister Kiren Rijiju emphasised the need for India to prepare adequately due to its large population and extreme weather conditions. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued a <keyword id="6371478" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="heatwave" source="Orion">heatwave</keyword> advisory for the elections, urging electoral bodies to work with states to prevent heat-related incidents during public gatherings.<br /><br />In summary, India is bracing for a challenging summer characterised by above-normal temperatures and prolonged heatwaves. Remaining informed and taking necessary precautions will be vital for navigating this period safely.<br />

India in for brutal heatwave conditions from April to June; likely to have sizzling impact on Lok Sabha elections

<ul><li><strong>
As many as 100 million people in the country are suffering from the nation-wide water crisis. <br /></strong></li><li><strong>Moreover, 21 major cities are expected to be devoid of groundwater by 2020, says government think tank NITI Aayog. <br /></strong></li></ul><br />No drops, No rain, nothing. India is suffering from its worst-ever water crisis in history. It has already started affecting hundreds and millions of lives and livelihoods across the country. <br /><br />And, people are craving for water to drink as well.<br /><br />“How will three pots of water be sufficient for an entire family of five,” asks a resident of Chennai — India’s sixth largest city — which ran out of water after all four reservoirs dried up this summer.<br /><br />
  
  
  
  <div type="image" title="Chennai: People rush to fill their vessels from a water tanker following acute w..." msid="69988629" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;People rush to fill their vessels from a water tanker following acute water shortage, in Chennai.Photo)(&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>








<br />A large number of people are now washing utensils in dirty water, to save the clean water for cooking and drinking.<br /><br />There won’t be any relief anytime soon as the southwest monsoon — accounting 80% of India’s rainfall — is late and is expected to be <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/monsoon-to-be-below-normal-over-north-south-india-imd/articleshow/69602283.cms">lower than usual</a> in both north and south India. <br /><br />As many as 100 million people in the country are suffering from the nation-wide water crisis. Moreover, 21 major cities are expected to be devoid of groundwater by 2020, says government think tank NITI Aayog <br /><br />Only some parts of the country have received rainfall — that too almost a week late. Apart from the water crisis, the harsh heatwaves in the country took more than <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2019/06/22/india/chennai-india-water-crisis-intl/index.html">137 lives </a>. <br /><br />India’s dwindling water sources worsened the situation. <a href="http://202.159.215.252:83/DocumentUploadRoot/DocumentId_32837/20.06.2019_CWC_Bull.pdf">According to the Central Water Commission</a>, two-thirds water reservoirs in the country are below normal levels. <br /><br /><strong>Little Water, No Water — Current status of crisis across the country </strong><br />
  
  
  
  <div type="image" title="Women fetch water from an opening made by residents at a dried-up lake in Chennai" msid="69988642" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Women fetch water from an opening made by residents at a dried-up lake in Chennai, India, June 11, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>









<br />On 2 June 2019, a video of women filling bucket from the water leaked by a water tanker over the road went viral on social media, reported India spend. <br /><br />More than 100 districts across the country are officially affected by drought. Most of the districts (80%) in Karnataka and Maharashtra (72%) are hit by drought and crop failure. As many as 8.2 million farmers are struggling for livelihood. <br /><br />With scarcity comes strife. The state governments of Karnataka and Maharashtra — are now fighting over sharing water resources. <br /><br />Every day, Maharashtra government is sending 6,000 water tankers to 4,920 villages and 10,506 hamlets or settlements (<em>bastis</em>) in drought-hit areas.<br /><br />In the South, the Tamil Nadu government had to sanction Rs 233 crore to initiate emergency water projects. The state capital — Chennai— had to shut down the air conditioning to save as much as 9,000 litres a day. People have to stand in line for hours and they get foul-smelling water that might have been mixed with sewage. <br /><br />Karnataka too was forced to shut schools for a week due to water scarcity. Separately, residents of Bhilwara in Rajasthan have to keep water ‘locked’ in tankers since they depend on drinking water that is supplied once in 10 days. They are worried that it might be stolen! <br /><br /><strong>No groundwater by 2020 </strong><br />
  
  
  
  <div type="image" title="India Water Shortage" msid="69988668" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Indiand stand in queues to fill vessels filled with drinking water from a water tanker in Chennai, capital of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Wednesday, June 19, 2019. Millions of people are turning to water tank trucks in the state as house and hotel taps run dry in an acute water shortage caused by drying lakes and depleted groundwater. Some private companies have asked employees to work from home and several restaurants are closing early and even considering stopping lunch meals if the water scarcity aggravates.Photo/R. Parthibhan)&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>









<sup>AP</sup><br />New Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad are amongst the 21 cities that will run out of groundwater by 2020. This will affect as many as 100 million people, claims a report by NITI Ayog. <br /><br />Furthermore, 40% of India’s population will struggle for drinking water by 2030. With India’s water crisis deepening by the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently created Ministry of Jal Shakti that is going to look after the water resource management. <br /><br />Modi also reiterated his promise to provide piped water to every rural house in India by 2024. However, analysts have claimed that won’t be enough. <br /><br />A UN Human rights report claimed that soon only wealthy people in the world would be able to afford basic necessities in case of a drought, heatwave or famine. <br /><br /><strong>Falling rainfall levels in India</strong><br /><br />
  
  
  
  <div type="image" title="Chennai: School students offer prayers to rain god seeking rainfall following th..." msid="69988705" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;School students offer prayers to rain god seeking rainfall following the severe water crisis, in Chennai.Photo) (&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>










<br />The Drought Early Warning System (DEWS) reported that 43.4% areas in the country are under drought as of 30 May 2019. A delayed monsoon is among the primary reasons for the current crisis. <br /><br />In the last five years, 2017 was the only year when India did not experience drought, reported India spend. Both South west monsoon and North-east monsoon were lower than usual. <br /><br />Last year, India Meteorological Department said that the ‘post-monsoon’ rainfall — responsible for 10-20% of the India’s monsoon — was lower by 44%. And the pre-monsoon rainfall was the lowest it saw in the last 65 years. <br /><br />Experts fear that India is soon going to witness Day Zero if no action is taken on time. <br />

Five years on, India may not even get a chance to solve its on-going water crisis risking hundreds of millions of lives

<br /><ul><li><keyword id="7561057" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="cyclone-fani">Cyclone Fani</keyword> is shaping up to be the biggest storm to pass through the Bay of Bengal since 2008.</li><li>An image of Cyclone Fani capture by NASA shows the storm growing in size and heading north-east along India’s eastern coast. </li><li>The growing intensity and frequency of cyclones is indicative global climate change.</li></ul>As Cyclone Fani strengthens and people are evacuated from India’s eastern coast, the evidence of <keyword id="6366055" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="global-warming">global warming</keyword> can be seen in the images captured from outer space. <br /><br />
  
  <div type="image" title="thumbnail_Fani-768x625" msid="69138904" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;On May 1, 2019, the MODIS instrument aboard NASA&amp;#8217;s Terra satellite provided a visible image of Tropical Cyclone Fani in the Northern Indian Ocean, off the coast southeastern India&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>





<br />The picture captured using the MODIS instrument aboard the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Terra satellite — launched on 18 December, 1999 — shows how the storm is growing in size. <br /><br />
  
  <div type="image" title="Global_tropical_cyclone_tracks-edit2" msid="69138925" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Cyclones intensifying from 1985 to 2005, the map was created with the WPTC track map generator by Nilfanion&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>





<br />According to <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/fani-is-indias-strongest-april-cyclone-in-43-years-say-meteorologists/article26995965.ece">meteorologists</a>, Cyclone Fani is the strongest April cyclone to hit India in 43 years. In fact, severe cyclones like Fani — although they can form at any time — normally occur in November, once the monsoon season is over. <br /><br />In fact, looking at cyclonic storms that have hit the Bay of Bengal between 1965 to 2017, only two of 46 ‘severe’ storms occurred in April.<br /><br />
  
  <div type="image" title="42bd87f57ad298666f6b057505424ff6" msid="69138951" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Cyclone Fani is very likely to move northwestwards during next 12 hours and thereafter re-curve north-northeastwards and cross Odisha Coast between Gopalpur and Chandbali, to the south of Puri around 3rd May afternoon with maximum sustained wind of speed 175-185 kmph gusting to 205 kmph&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>





<br />The head of the Indian Meteorological Department told <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/fani-is-indias-strongest-april-cyclone-in-43-years-say-meteorologists/article26995965.ece">The Hindu</a>, “This is a cyclone that’s forming due to the warming of the Bay of Bengal basin…with global warming we have to be prepared for such occurrences and take precaution accordingly.”<br /><br />Cyclone Fani is shaping up to be the biggest storm to hit the Bay of Bengal since 2008 according to the <a href="https://weather.com/en-IN/india/news/news/2019-04-30-cyclone-fani-live-extremely-severe-storm-odisha-west-bengal">Weather Channel.</a> And, it’s heading towards the state of Odisha at 190 kilometers per hour.<br /><br />Sarat Chandra Sahu, the Director of the Center for Environment and Climate at the SOA University told <a href="https://indiaclimatedialogue.net/2018/10/17/cyclones-buffet-odisha-as-temperatures-rise/">indiaclimatedialogue</a>, “Because of global warming, sea surface temperature remains higher in the Bay of Bengal leading to generation and intensification of cyclonic systems. The southern coasts of Odisha experience cyclonic storms more frequently since Phailin cyclone of 2013.”<br /><br />
  
  <div type="image" title="earth simulator_edited" msid="69138974" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Cyclone Fani as visualised by the Earth Simulator&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>





<br />Ajay Singh, a climate change researcher with the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, agrees in his study published in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212670812000437#">Science Direct</a> stating, “Overall, the impact of global warming on the climate of India is clearly visible in the form of increased frequency and intensity of most of the extreme weather events.”<br /><br />The Indian Ocean, in particular has been warming faster than any tropical region on the planet over the past century according to the <a href="http://www.climate.rocksea.org/research/indian-ocean-warming/">Climate Research Lab</a> in IIT Madras . And, so it ends up that the Indian Ocean is also the largest contributor to global ocean surface warming.<br /><br />
  
  <div type="image" title="A5A27780-6D81-4DAC-99EC-5B5A0DA57B7D" msid="69138983" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Fishermen&amp;#39;s taking rest in front of fishes painting because of Cyclone Fani influence over Bay of Bengal at Bheemili in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>





<br />In preparation for the incoming storm, the navy, coast guard and National Disaster Response Force has been put on round the clock alert. Over 80 trains have been cancelled and 800 shelters have been set up.<br /><br /><strong>See also:</strong><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cyclone-fani-expected-to-make-landfall-in-odisha-on-may-3/articleshow/69138234.cms">Cyclone Fani expected to make landfall in Odisha on May 3</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/what-is-cyclone-fani-fony-phoni-that-the-met-dept-called-very-severe-in-the-latest-update/articleshow/69107984.cms">Cyclone Fani, a 'very severe' natural disaster is set to hit India's eastern coast</a><br />

Cyclone Fani and the impact of global warming captured by NASA

<strong><br /></strong><ul><li><strong>Sea ice in the Arctic is melting faster than ever because of rising temperature and it may adversely affect the Indian monsoon rain pattern. <br /></strong></li><li><strong>It has become difficult for new sea ice to make trans-arctic journey as only 20% of the ice could actually reach the Central Arctic.<br /></strong></li><li><strong>The ice is 30% less thick than it was 15 years ago.<br /></strong></li></ul>The polar Arctic Zone — which has been melting from the past two centuries — has started melting dramatically because of rising temperatures that could adversely impact the India’s rain pattern and the seasonal monsoon, said a team of researchers ahead of a major expedition to explore the Arctic. <br /><br />The sea ice has been melting faster than ever and that could have a severe implication on major ocean currents linked to extreme weather events, said the researchers. <br /><br />In simple words, <keyword id="7508979" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ocean-current">ocean current</keyword>s helps to transport sea ice from one destination to another. Given the current situation, Transpolar Drift — a major ocean current that transports sea ice from the <keyword id="3974424" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="laptev-sea">Laptev Sea</keyword> and East Siberian Sea towards Fram Strait — will suffer, leading to major consequences across the world including India. It is also one of the dominant factors in determining weather patterns across the Northern Hemisphere, said the report. <br /><br />It has become increasingly difficult for new sea ice to make trans-arctic journey. Till 1990s, half the sea ice formed in the Arctic sea next to Russia was able to successfully travel without melting. However now, only 20% of the ice is able to reach the Central Arctic. In fact, 80% of the newly-formed sea ice melts as it is not thick as before. <br /><br />The thickness of the ice is 30% less than it was 15 years ago. This could result in emission of sea ice during summer in the Arctic, said the report. <br /><br />Separately, another study supports these findings. A recent study by the National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research revealed a direct relationship between <keyword id="6366055" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="global-warming">global warming</keyword> and the monsoons. <br /><br />“We noticed that there has been an increase in glacial melting driven by warming over the past two centuries. The Arctic witnessed a persistently increasing warming during the studied period with a particularly accelerated tone post-1970s,” reported Hindustan Times citing study. <br /><br /><strong>See also: </strong><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/polar-vortex-behind-cold-waves-in-north-india/articleshow/67755060.cms">North India is as cold as Southern Europe now because of Arctic winds</a><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/a-polar-vortex-is-engulfing-the-us-heres-what-that-really-means-and-why-these-events-might-be-getting-more-common-/articleshow/67748349.cms">A polar vortex is engulfing the US. Here's what that really means, and why these events might be getting more common</a>.<br />

Rapid melting sea-ice in the Arctic may hamper India’s monsoon pattern: Study

<p>&#xa0;</p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>The 2015-16 El Niño has <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/">likely reached its end</a>. Tropical Pacific Ocean temperatures, trade winds, cloud and pressure patterns have all dropped back to near normal, although clearly the event's impacts around the globe are still being felt.<p>Recent changes in Pacific Ocean temperatures have been comparable to the decline seen at the end of the 1998 El Niño, although temperatures remain warmer than at the end of the most recent El Niño in 2010. Models suggest that ocean cooling will continue, with little chance of a return to El Niño levels in the immediate future.</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div><p>The 2015-16 El Niño will go down as one of the three strongest El Niño events since 1950. Every El Niño is different, but typically the stronger the event, the greater its global impact. The 2015-16 El Niño was no exception, with wide-ranging effects felt around the world.</p><p>El Niño also added to the globe's warming trend, making <a href="https://theconversation.com/2016-is-likely-to-be-the-worlds-hottest-year-heres-why-59378">2015 the world's hottest calendar year on record</a>. Early indications are that 2016 could be hotter still.</p><p>So as El Niño fades, let's take stock of its impacts worldwide.</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div><h2>Africa</h2><p>Drought meant that <a href="https://www.iol.co.za/business/news/farmers-owe-banks-r125bn-as-crops-wither-1971244">South African food production</a> was around six million tonnes below normal levels - the lowest since 1995.</p><p>In Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique, maize prices were at least 50% higher than usual, with drought unlikely to break until rains in summer 2016-17. In the <a href="https://www.climate.gov/news-features/event-tracker/not-so-rainy-season-drought-southern-africa-january-2016">driest areas of Zimbabwe</a>, more than 75% of crops were lost. In May 2016, Zimbabwean national parks put wildlife up for sale in a bid to save animals from drought.</p><p>The <a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/the-times/chocolate-prices-to-rise-as-el-nino-brings-big-dry-to-west-africa/news-story/7b68da82787af93e2557435638699c47">cost of chocolate</a> hit a four-year high as a result of drought and lost production in the world's major cocoa producer, Ivory Coast.</p><p>Drought also affected Ethiopia, Somalia, Swaziland, Zambia and parts of Madagascar, with more than 10 million Ethiopians in need of food aid.</p><p>In December 2015, <a href="http://www.fao.org/3/a-i5282e.pdf">Rift Valley fever</a> was reported in East Africa. The disease is associated with heavy rainfall providing a fertile breeding ground for the mosquitoes that carry the virus.</p><p>In Tanzania, <a href="http://www.dw.com/en/el-nino-induced-floods-ravage-east-africa/a-19245333">heavy rain destroyed crops and food reserves</a>, while in Kenya <a href="http://www.unocha.org/el-nino-southern-africa">heavy rains aggravated cholera outbreaks</a>. In May 2016, landslides in Rwanda cost many lives and heavy rains damaged infrastructure and hundreds of homes.</p><h2>The Pacific region</h2><p>El Niño is often, but not always, associated with <a href="https://theconversation.com/when-the-indian-ocean-and-el-nino-join-forces-things-can-get-hot-and-dry-48969">drought in Australia</a>. But the drying influence of the 2015-16 El Niño was initially tempered somewhat by very warm temperatures in the Indian Ocean. From April to August, above-average rainfall fell over parts of inland Western Australia, New South Wales and eastern Victoria.</p><p>But by spring, the Indian Ocean was helping El Niño, resulting in Australia's third-driest spring on record, limiting growth at the end of the cropping season. A record early heatwave in October further <a href="http://www.farmonline.com.au/news/agriculture/cropping/grains/el-nio-hammers-wheat-crop/2745601.aspx">reduced crop production in the Murray-Darling Basin</a>.</p><p>However, the lack of heavy rains in the north and west meant <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mining-australia-elnino-idUSKCN0S601W20151012">reduced downtime for mining</a>.</p><p>The northern wet season produced a record-low three tropical cyclones in the Australian region. The previous record was five, which happened in 1987-88 and again in 2006-07 - both El Niño years.</p><p>Fewer clouds and less tropical rain contributed to the <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/coral-bleaching">most severe coral bleaching</a> event on record for the Great Barrier Reef.</p><p>The combination of heat and low rainfall brought a very early start to the fire season, with more than 70 fires burning in Victoria and around 55 fires in Tasmania during October. Dry conditions in Tasmania also resulted in hundreds of fires being started by dry lightning in mid-January 2016. The <a href="https://theconversation.com/fires-in-tasmanias-ancient-forests-are-a-warning-for-all-of-us-53806">fires damaged large areas of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area</a>, including areas of rainforest and bogs, which may not have seen fire for centuries.</p><p>In Papua New Guinea, <a href="https://theconversation.com/as-papua-new-guinea-faces-worsening-drought-a-past-disaster-could-save-lives-46390">drought and frost led to crop failures and food shortages</a>. Staple sweet potato crops in the highlands were severely damaged by August frosts - the result of El Niño reducing night-time cloud cover - which also destroyed wild plants that are usually eaten as a backup source of food.</p><p>Vanuatu, Fiji, the Solomon Islands, Samoa and Tonga experienced <a href="http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2015/12/14/el-nino-warning-bells-ringing-oxfam">worsening drought</a>. Islands closer to the Equator such as Kiribati and Tuvalu had intense rain causing flooding, as well as higher sea levels due to warmer waters and weaker trade winds.</p><h2>Asia</h2><p>In the Philippines, drought was declared in 85% of provinces. Indonesia experienced its worst drought in 18 years. <a href="https://theconversation.com/indonesia-fires-threaten-to-send-even-modest-climate-ambitions-up-in-smoke-49155">Forest fires caused poor air quality</a> over vast neighbouring areas including Singapore, Malaysia, southern Thailand and the southern Philippines.</p><p>In the Mekong Basin, delayed monsoon rains reduced rice production, with significant reductions in Vietnam. In Thailand, severe water shortages led to water rationing and delayed rice planting. The Thai government <a href="http://time.com/3960462/thailand-drought/">lowered its forecast for rice exports</a> by two million tonnes. This led to some African countries increasing their imports, fearing a price rise.</p><p><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-03-28/malaysian-palm-oil-production-to-worsen-on-el-nino-mistry-says">Palm oil prices rose</a> as supplies became limited due to drought in Malaysia and Indonesia. In April 2016, a heatwave set national temperature records for Thailand, Laos and Cambodia.</p><p>Northern parts of China experienced drought in 2015. Heavy rainfall in southern China persisted through the second half of 2015, with flooding and landslides recorded along the Yangtze River Valley. China's December-to-February rainfall was approximately 50% above normal. In May 2016, heavy rain caused <a href="http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/1949392/torrential-rains-claim-eight-lives-southern-chinas-guangdong">flooding and landslides in China's Guangdong province</a>.</p><p>In India, <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-05-03/india-is-suffering-one-of-its-worst-droughts-in-decades">below-average monsoon rains</a> in June to September led to reduced rice, corn, cotton and sugar output in 2015. Below-average rainfall between October and December also affected India's wheat harvest. Major water shortages emerged in some areas, including Mumbai - the result of two years of failed rains.</p><p>Indian Premier League cricket matches were relocated from Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur due to water restrictions. Record heat affected the north and west of the country in May, setting a <a href="http://reliefweb.int/report/india/india-sets-new-heat-record-temperatures-soar">new national record of 51?</a> in Phalodi.</p><p>Conversely, some <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2015/12/10/before-and-after-satellite-imagery-of-the-historic-flooding-in-chennai-india/">southern parts of India had exceptionally wet conditions</a>, with record-breaking rains and widespread flooding in Chennai in November and December. The city received over 300mm of rainfall on December 1, 2015; the wettest day in more than a century.</p><h2>South and Central America</h2><p>Peru experienced widespread flooding and mudslides in early 2016, with heavy rain leaving more than 5,000 people homeless. In Ecuador, flooding and landslides damaged properties and affected shrimp production.</p><p>More than 150,000 people were evacuated from <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-35184793">flooded areas in Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, and Argentina</a> in December 2015. Some experts have linked El Niño flooding to outbreaks of <a href="http://who.int/hac/crises/el-nino/22february2016/en/">mosquito-borne diseases such as Zika virus</a>.</p><p>In January 2016, Argentina experienced its worst locust plague since 1954, following heavy rains and warm temperatures. Heavy rains returned to Argentina and Paraguay in April 2016, causing large agricultural losses.</p><p>In contrast, <a href="http://latincorrespondent.com/2016/02/el-nino-wreaks-havoc-in-colombia/">Colombia experienced drought and forest fires</a>, which caused severe damage to crops and pushed up food prices, leading to malnutrition in some areas. In November 2015, the United Nations warned that 2.3 million people would need food aid in Central America.</p><p>The Caribbean also experienced drought; Cuba had its most severe dry season in 115 years; Barbados, Dominica, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Antigua, Barbuda and Saint Lucia experienced water shortages, with the latter declaring a national emergency. The Dominican Republic experienced serious agricultural losses.</p><p>Brazil had a particularly high number of forest fires during 2015, exacerbated by ongoing drought conditions in the Amazon region. Drought in Brazil and Colombia (and Indonesia) meant <a href="https://weather.com/science/environment/news/el-nino-weather-damages-coffee-crops">coffee prices soared</a> as dry conditions affected all the major coffee-producing countries.</p><p>In contrast, excess rain in northeast Brazil flooded crops, leading to rises in the sugar price worldwide.</p><h2>North America</h2><p>In California, many hoped that El Niño would bring relief from five years of drought. But despite some regions getting heavy rain more typical of El Niño, leading to mudslides, El Niño failed to end the long-term dry.</p><p>In the southeast and south-central United States, rainfall was above normal. Major flooding occurred along the Mississippi River. Missouri received three times its normal rainfall during November and December 2015.</p><p><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-17/crabs-carpet-california-beaches/7420956">Warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures</a> offshore meant warm water species such as sea snakes, red tuna crabs and hammerhead sharks were found on Californian beaches.</p><p><em>For information on the current and forecast state of ENSO, keep an eye on <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/">the Bureau's ENSO Wrap-Up</a>.</em></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"></div></div></div></div><p><span><a href="http://theconversation.com/profiles/alison-cook-269168">Alison Cook</a>, Climatologist, <em><a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/the-bureau-of-meteorology">Australian Bureau of Meteorology</a></em>; <a href="http://theconversation.com/profiles/andrew-b-watkins-2818">Andrew B. Watkins</a>, Manager of Climate Prediction Services, <em><a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/the-bureau-of-meteorology">Australian Bureau of Meteorology</a></em>; <a href="http://theconversation.com/profiles/blair-trewin-3692">Blair Trewin</a>, Climatologist, National Climate Centre, <em><a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/the-bureau-of-meteorology">Australian Bureau of Meteorology</a></em>, and <a href="http://theconversation.com/profiles/catherine-ganter-259928">Catherine Ganter</a>, Senior Climatologist, <em><a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/the-bureau-of-meteorology">Australian Bureau of Meteorology</a></em></span></p><p>This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/el-nino-is-over-but-has-left-its-mark-across-the-world-59993">original article</a>.</p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"></div></div></div></div>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/weather-system-in-a-box-2016-3">This is a weather system in a box</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="E0dTNpMTE6pr_yrk_cImaAg0baJy6XE7" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

El Nino is over - but its impacts are still being felt across the globe

NEW DELHI: Indian farmers are revising their sowing strategy and cropping patterns as they look to make the most of the rain they’ll get during the June-September monsoon season.<br />
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The state-run India Meteorological Department and private forecasters such as Skymet have indicated that rain could be deficient, with some probability of a drought. Farmers are hoping to be prepared for such an eventuality.<br />
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To begin with, some are looking to cultivate crops that will require less water such as cotton, guar, jowar, pulses, maize and soyabean. Others are opting for short-duration crops such as basmati rather than paddy. Sales of drought-tolerant seed varieties could also see a surge.<br />
<br /> Availability of water for irrigation is a substantial challenge because of poor infrastructure in a country where two-thirds of the arable land is rain fed. More than 42% of the area under paddy, which accounts for over 70% of the kharif crop in the country, is rainfed across Uttar Pradesh, <keyword id="30033" type="COMPANY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Bihar">Bihar</keyword>, <keyword id="6355554" type="COMPANY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Madhya-Pradesh">Madhya Pradesh</keyword>, <keyword id="43945" type="COMPANY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Chhattisgarh">Chhattisgarh</keyword> and West Bengal.<br />
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Nand Kishore Singh of Tariyani village in the Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh may sow black gram (urad) this year rather than paddy if the season is dry. “We are dependent on monsoon rains and it will be unviable to get a crop if rains are weak and unevenly spread,” he said.<br />
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According to rough estimates, 5,000 litres of water is needed for producing 1 kg of paddy whereas 1 kg of basmati requires 400-500 litre of water.<br />
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KVS Sandhu, a vegetable grower in Patiala, Punjab, will be allocating 25 acres of land on his farm for basmati this year.<br />
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“Growing paddy could pose a problem if rains are unevenly distributed across the four months and hence I will go for basmati sowing for the first time,” said Sandhu, who’s a former bureaucrat. The 70-day crop will need less water than the 90-110-day paddy crop, he said.<br />
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Sandhu, a leading vegetable exporter, has already sown ladies’ fingers to export to the European Union and the Middle East.<br />
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Most farmers across north India, after harvesting wheat in March, went in for maize, green gram (moong) and even vegetables to earn extra. They will now opt for basmati in July.<br />
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Acreage of India’s largest vegetable export, guar, could also increase as companies begin distributing free seeds to farmers.<br />
<br /> Maganbhai Patel, a cotton and groundnut <keyword id="48857" type="POSITION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Farmer">farmer</keyword> in Gujarat who has 30 acres of land, has been approached by traders and companies to sow guar this year. “We haven’t ever sown guar in our area. The crop doesn’t require any water or fertilizer and it will be a net profit for me even if I get Rs 7,500 per quintal by the end of the harvest,” he said. Guar seed is currently being quoted at Rs 4,500-5,000 a quintal in the Gujarat market.<br />
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In 2012, weak rains across western India led to a huge loss for cotton and groundnut farmers as wells ran dried. Patel, who heads Gujarat’s Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, feels that farmers will continue to sow the traditional groundnut, castor and cotton crops.
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“We are not businessmen and will do what best we know. From past experience of poor rains, farmers will go for short-range variety of cotton. If the government subsidises, we may even sow drought-variety seeds,” he said.<br />
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The Centre and state governments have been issuing information on the possibility of a below-normal southwest monsoon and what farmer could sow to ensure remunerative returns.<br />
<br /> “We have been told that this year there would be low rainfall so we have decided to sow soyabean and jowar as these crops need less water than other crops like sugar cane or vegetable plants,” said Singangoud Patil, a <keyword id="195892" type="POSITION" weightage="40" keywordseo="small-farmer">small farmer</keyword> in Kardiguddi village in Belgaum, Karnataka.<br />
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“Generally we sow sugarcane but this year we might go with cotton or maize. We have already suffered huge losses due to abnormal rainfall early this year, so don’t want to take risk,” said Manjunath Chikkareddy, who owns 20 acres of land at Hooli in Belgaum.

Farmers Revise Sowing, Cropping Patterns To Overcome Weak Monsoon

<br /> <keyword id="988973" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="extreme-weather">Extreme Weather</keyword> wreaks havoc and <keyword id="1209735" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Disaster-preparedness">disaster preparedness</keyword> of the extreme kind can only lessen the losses but cannot entirely leash them. A new research report compiled by the UK-based <keyword id="459969" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Overseas-Development-Institute">Overseas Development Institute</keyword> suggests that by 2030, up to a third of a billion people could be living in the 49 countries most exposed to the full range of <keyword id="1187439" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="natural-hazards">natural hazards</keyword> and <keyword id="1713913" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Climate-Extremes">climate extremes</keyword>. So adequate measures must be taken now to control the impact of Extreme Weather occurrences (<keyword id="43950" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="storm">storm</keyword>, <keyword id="46472" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="drought">drought</keyword>, <keyword id="6369083" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Flood">flood</keyword>, <keyword id="6362774" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="earthquake">earthquake</keyword>, etc.) or it is bound to hurt the economies and will push people back into poverty. Although an emerging market nation, <keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="100" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> has long struggled to cope with <keyword id="55531" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Disaster-management">disaster management</keyword>. As the country encounters the second <keyword id="6386783" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Cyclone">cyclone</keyword> attack in six weeks, here is a quick look at the natural hazards that struck India throughout the year, leading to massive destruction and huge losses.<br />
<strong>Main image: </strong>Wikipedia<br />
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<strong><keyword id="1945034" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Cyclone-Helen">Cyclone Helen</keyword></strong><br /> The severe cyclonic storm hit the coastal parts of <keyword id="37102" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Andhra-Pradesh">Andhra Pradesh</keyword> only a couple of days ago, killing at least 6 people. Around 21,000 people were evacuated from low-lying areas as <keyword id="45172" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="heavy-rain">heavy rain</keyword> lashed the <keyword id="482064" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="coastal-districts">coastal districts</keyword> and strong gales reached the speed of 100-120 kmph. Storm and <keyword id="13195" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rain">rain</keyword> caused massive damage to <keyword id="18620" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="crops">crops</keyword> and coconut plantations spread over 1.69 lakh hectares.<br />
<strong>Image:</strong> ddinews.gov.in<br />
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<strong>Super-Cyclone Phailin</strong><br /> One of the most powerful tropical <keyword id="42569" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="cyclones">cyclones</keyword>, Phailin hit India’s east coast in October and was expected to cause massive death and destruction. Strong winds went up to a speed of 220 kmph as it struck the shores of <keyword id="6357961" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Odisha">Odisha</keyword> and Andhra Pradesh. However, early warnings and the mass evacuation of nearly 900,000 people limited the <keyword id="6397442" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="death-toll">death toll</keyword> to 30-50. A quarter million houses were razed though, and over 860,000 hectares of cropland was destroyed. The overall damage amounted to about $150 million.<br />
<strong>Image:</strong> Indiatimes<br />
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<strong>The </strong><strong><keyword id="1713585" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Himalayan-tsunami">Himalayan tsunami</keyword></strong><br /> <keyword id="173656" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kedarnath">Kedarnath</keyword> town in the state of <keyword id="44522" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Uttarakhand">Uttarakhand</keyword> was literally washed out when massive flash floods and landslides hit the valley in June this year. About 33 cm of rain fell during a cloudburst and a lake above the 8th century <keyword id="1674376" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kedarnath-temple">Kedarnath Temple</keyword> burst, sending a deluge of water down the valley. Over 110,000 stranded pilgrims were rescued and the actual death toll could be close to 10,000 while 20,000 hectares of <keyword id="6491949" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="agricultural-land">agricultural land</keyword> was severely damaged in the deluge. According to a <keyword id="29740" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Bloomberg">Bloomberg</keyword> report based on a document from AON Benfield, economic losses due to the floods in India (mostly Uttarakhand) could be $1.1 billion and insured costs around half a million.<br />
<strong>Image:</strong> Indiatimes<br />
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<strong><keyword id="1672039" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Cyclone-Mahasen">Cyclone Mahasen</keyword></strong><br /> The first among the three cyclones to have crossed the <keyword id="960263" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indian-coast">Indian coast</keyword> this year. The south-westerly monsoon started with this <keyword id="385066" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="tropical-storm">tropical storm</keyword> in May and affected six countries in South and <keyword id="366595" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="South-East-Asia">South-east Asia</keyword>. Cyclone Mahasen moved up from the southern <keyword id="55869" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Bay-of-Bengal">Bay of Bengal</keyword> and finally hit Bangladesh, but its effects could be felt in southern, eastern and north-eastern parts of India. Heavy rain lashed Meghalaya as it crossed into neighbouring Bangladesh while severe storms in Andhra Pradesh caused eight deaths and also flooded 739 hectares of farmland. In the coastal districts of Odisha, there were scattered but powerful storms, producing winds up to 72 kmph. Malkangiri saw the heaviest rainfall at 48 mm.<br />
<strong>Image:</strong> earthobservatory.nasa.gov<br />
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