Sunday, August 01, 2010

Focus on La-Nina:

"A developing La Nina effect will bring normal rain to the country in August and September", weather experts at the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Saturday.
Some other forums and weather experts are also gung-ho about the develoing La;Nina, and have already concluded that the remaining 2 months of the monsoon will be of plentifull and bounty rains.

But wait, read the IMD wordings--"Developing" La-Nina. Meaning still
not yet developed fully. It can develop in a month, or may take as much as
3 months to fully blow up.
What is the current position of the La-Nina ? why is everyone suddenly talking about it now ? Most days, the population lives on without thinking about it.
But in a year like 2010, it makes headlines.

It's the weather phenomenon El Niño, or in this case, La Niña.Both have the same purpose but with different results.
La Niña is appropriately the opposite of the much discussed El-Nino. The Pacific waters are cooler than normal. Currently the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association is providing data that suggests we are in a growing La Niña
phase, with water temperatures as much as 2 degrees below normal.

Typically, but not every time, El Niño and
La Niña alternate and match intensity and numbers. After a showing of a moderate El Niño last year, its counterpart has made a comeback and experts say it will just get stronger, or cooler in this year's case.

Current Situation:
Report from Australian Bureau:
The central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean continued to cool during June.
Tropical Pacific Ocean temperatures continued to cool over the past fortnight, and are now approaching levels typical of a La Niña. Similarly, other ENSO indicators are also at or exceeding La Niña thresholds. As computer models predict the central Pacific will continue to cool over the coming months, it is now highly likely that the Pacific is in the early stages of a La Niña event, and that 2010 will be considered a La Niña year.
Signs of an emerging La Niña event have been apparent in the equatorial Pacific for several months. Pacific Ocean temperatures have cooled steadily throughout the year and are now more than 1°C cooler than average in some areas on the equator. Trade winds continue to be stronger than average and cloudiness has remained suppressed over the central Pacific.
All of these key indicators are at levels typical of the early stages of a La Niña event.

The 30-day Southern Oscillation Index [SOI] to 24 July was +18, the highest value since 2 March 2009. Normally, value over +10 ,(for a period of 10/15 days) would indicate a developed La-Nina. The Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) has increased in value and is currently around +14,

Effects of La-Nina:
During the northern hemisphere summer season, the Indian monsoon rainfall tends to be greater than normal, especially in northwest India. Drier than normal conditions are observed along the west coast of tropical South America, and at subtropical latitudes of North America (Gulf Coast) and South America (southern Brazil to central Argentina) during their respective winter seasons.
Some of the other weather effects of La Niña include abnormally heavy monsoons in India and Southeast Asia, cool and wet winter weather in southeastern Africa, wet weather in eastern Australia, cold winter in western Canada and northwestern United States..

La Nina is the exact reverse of El Nino, and has been traditionally associated with a good monsoon for India, though without direct cause-effect relationship.Never been certain of that !
To put this in perspective, the country faced the worst drought in three decades last year when an El Nino was in full swing in the Pacific.
In line with its La Nina outlook, the Tokyo-based Research Institute for Global Change (RIGC) has said that India would join a few other nations to be bracketed along for a watch on near-flooding rains in parts of the country.

RT @bijumly: @weatherofindia No Rain only clouds at Bangalore IST16.00
Today, the low level circulation is over E. Madhyapradesh.
3pm, More showers over Madhyapradesh, Bihar, Jharkand, Orissa and E. Rajasthan ... http://ow.ly/i/2X89
3pm, Very heavy showers along S. Gujarat and N-W Maharastra... http://ow.ly/i/2X89
RT @AmolMathur: @weatherofindia HappyFriendshipDay
Dehradun receives 364 mm, second highest after 25 July 1966 when it got 467 mm.... http://ow.ly/2jnXV
Pics of Mumbai Monsoon scenes clicked on Saturday ... http://ow.ly/2jnXy
Highest All India Rain Total as on 31st. July 2010 from 1st. June ... http://ow.ly/2jnXg

Dehradun receives 364 mm, second highest after 25 July 1966 when it got 467 mm.

The Meteorological Department confirmed that the rainfall (364 mm) during the past 24 hours on 31st July 2010 was the second highest after 25 July 1966 when it rained 467 mm.

People being rescued in the Morowala area, near Dehradun, on Saturday.
People being rescued in the Morowala area, near Dehradun, on Saturday.

Incessant downpour in the past 36 hours wrecked havoc in Dehradun city. Hundreds of houses got flooded as many boundary walls or constructions gave way to the pressure of gushing flood waters.


Residents cross a flooded stream at Nehru Gram and (right) submerged cars in a workshop in Dehradun on Saturday.
Residents cross a flooded stream at Nehru Gram and (right) submerged cars in a workshop in Dehradun on Saturday. Tribune photographs

The encroachers, who had extended their houses on drains or built these entirely on drains, paid for their erroneous acts with their houses getting flooded.

The Irrigation Department, which is required to act in matters related to flooding of houses, had no clue to the extent of the damage. BK Tamta, Director Irrigation, said that he would assess the situation soon. Dr Vijayender Pal, counsellor, complained that despite the PWD and MDDA having their own Disaster Management Cell left it all on the Municipal Corporation to manage the crisis.

Dehra Dun received 364 mm followed by Kashipur 245 mm over the past 24 hours. Excess rain has been recorded in Bageshwar, Chamoli, Champawat, Haridwar and Naini Tal since June 1 while other districts have received normal rainfall, Anand Sharma, Director, State Meteorological Centre here, said.