- Scanty rainfall, global warming set to scorch state

Boys frolic in the Brahmaputra to beat the heat in Guwahati on Tuesday. Picture by Eastern Projections

Guwahati, March 23: If you thought last summer was a sizzler, think again. The weatherman says this summer could be the hottest in many years.

The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) at Borjhar today predicted that the state could experience the hottest summer in many years because of scanty rainfall and global warming.

RMC director Hara Govinda Pathak told this correspondent that prolonged rainless conditions had led to a substantial rise in the atmospheric temperature in the state even before the onset of summer. On March 20 and 21, the day temperatures rose to 37 degrees Celsius in the city. In normal conditions, the average temperature on these two days in the past was a pleasant 31 degrees Celsius.

Small towns like Silchar and Dhubri also recorded 34 degrees Celsius on Monday, three degrees more than the normal maximum day temperature at this time of the year.

“If the pre-monsoon rainfall is inadequate, the maximum temperature will stay four degrees above normal on most of the days over the next two months. March has already shown the way with the maximum day temperature remaining at least three degrees above normal so far in most parts of the state. The situation in Guwahati will be the worst. On Saturday and Sunday, the maximum temperature crossed more than six degrees Celsius above normal. If the situation is such at this point of time, one can well imagine the sufferings when the summer will be at its peak,” Pathak said.

He said the maximum day temperatures had crossed the normal limit in March last year, too, but had gradually climbed down towards the end of the month with rainfall.

Guwahati and its adjoining areas recorded a rainfall of 4mm on March 27, 1.1mm on March 28, 8.2mm on March 30 and 27.5mm on March 31 last year. As per data available with the RMC, the city recorded a rainfall of only 1.1mm on March 16.

Though the RMC said there could be one or two spells of rainfall in isolated places in the state, the conditions are still not favourable for the usual pre-monsoon showers, which lash the state in this time of the year.

“So far, we do not see any favourable condition for rainfall till April. There have been no Nor’westers till date because of lack of favourable local atmospheric conditions. Long spells of rain during monsoon are gradually becoming a thing of the past in the state because of the cumulative effect of global warming. Assam recorded 18 per cent deficit rainfall last year. Scientists say the region will experience the ill-effects of global warming much ahead of the other parts of the country. There is a possibility of deficit rainfall again this year, causing rise in temperatures,” Pathak said.