Geography - 1 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Implications of No Snowfall In Kashmir

Why in news?

The lack of snowfall in Kashmir this winter is significantly impacting the region's tourism sector, especially in well-known areas like Gulmarg. Additionally, it has serious implications for the local environment and economy.

What Causes No Snowfall In Kashmir?

• Climate and Weather Patterns: The Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh regions are experiencing a severe decrease in precipitation, with an 80% deficit in rainfall reported for December 2023 and a complete absence of rain in January 2024. Snowfall is essential for maintaining the local climate, as it is the primary form of winter precipitation.
• Decline in Western Disturbance: The observed reduction in snowfall is linked to fewer occurrences of Western Disturbances, which are crucial for winter precipitation in the Himalayan region. These systems are large eastward-moving weather patterns that bring moisture from areas as distant as the Mediterranean and Atlantic Oceans. A drop in their frequency has resulted in diminished winter precipitation.
• Role of Climate Change and El Nino: Various studies indicate that climate change is a significant factor in the decreasing snowfall patterns in Kashmir. The temperature rise is more pronounced in higher elevations than in lower regions, further affecting snowfall. Furthermore, the current El Nino event in the eastern Pacific is believed to disrupt global atmospheric conditions, contributing to the reduced precipitation in the area. Recent years, such as 2022, 2018, and 2015, have also recorded notably dry winters in this region.

What are the Implications of No Snowfall in Kashmir?

• Short and Long Term Impact: The immediate effects of no snowfall include an increase in forest fires, agricultural droughts, and decreased crop yields. In contrast, long-term consequences may involve reduced hydroelectric power generation, accelerated glacier melting, and negative impacts on drinking water supplies due to insufficient groundwater recharge.
• Vital for Winter Crops: Winter snowfall is crucial for maintaining soil moisture, which is necessary for winter crops, particularly in horticulture. The local economy, which heavily relies on crops like apples and saffron, suffers when snowfall is inadequate.
• Impact on Tourism: Gulmarg, a prominent winter tourism destination, is experiencing a significant decline in tourist numbers this season due to insufficient snow. Although 2023 saw considerable tourist activity, officials expect a drop of at least 60% in visitors this winter. The lack of snow adversely affects ski resorts and related businesses, leading to a detrimental effect on the local economy.

150 Years of India Meteorological Department

Why in news?

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is set to celebrate its 150th anniversary on January 15, 2025. To commemorate this significant milestone, IMD will host nationwide celebrations in all its sub-offices from January 15, 2024, to January 15, 2025.

What is India Meteorological Department (IMD)?

About: IMD serves as the National Meteorological Service of India and is the primary government agency responsible for meteorology and related fields. It operates under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India.

Objectives:

• To gather meteorological data and offer current and forecasted meteorological information that supports weather-sensitive activities such as agriculture, irrigation, shipping, aviation, and offshore oil explorations.
• To issue warnings for severe weather incidents like tropical cyclones, norwesters, dust storms, heavy rainfall, and extreme temperature events that can endanger lives and property.
• To provide essential meteorological statistics for sectors such as agriculture, water resource management, industries, and oil exploration.
• To conduct and promote research in meteorology and related disciplines.

How has the IMD Evolved Over The Years?

• Historical Background: The urgent need for a meteorological monitoring system emerged after two devastating cyclones struck Kolkata and the Andhra coast in 1864, leading to substantial loss of life.
• Evolution of IMD: The IMD began operations in 1875 with the appointment of H.F. Blanford, an Englishman who became the Imperial Meteorological Reporter. Under Gilbert Walker, who took charge in 1903, significant advancements were made in understanding monsoon patterns and atmospheric circulations, forming the basis for modern insights into phenomena like El Niño.
• Advancements in Cyclone Forecasting: A pivotal moment for IMD was the 1999 Odisha super cyclone, which led to major investments in technology and personnel. Since then, the number of cyclone-related casualties has significantly decreased due to the accuracy of IMD's forecasts. The department now provides cyclone forecasts not only for India but also for neighboring countries, serving as a vital resource for 13 nations in the region.
• Diversified Roles: Initially focused on weather forecasting, IMD has expanded its services to include support for elections, sporting events, space launches, and various other sectors.
• Global Role and Recognition: Due to its enhanced capabilities, IMD has gained recognition as the Regional Climate Centre for South Asia and has participated in the United Nations' 'Early Warning for All' initiative, which involves 30 identified countries.

What are the Major Initiatives Related to Meteorology in India?

• National Monsoon Mission (NMM): Aimed at improving the understanding and forecasting of the monsoon.
• Mausam App: A mobile application providing real-time weather updates and forecasts.
• Doppler Weather Radars: Advanced radar systems that enhance the accuracy of weather forecasting.

La Nina Links with Air Quality

Why in news?

Recently, a study conducted by researchers at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in Pune and the National Institute of Advanced Studies in Bengaluru has indicated that air quality in India may be affected by El Nino and La Nina events. The findings suggest that the abnormal air quality observed in several Indian cities during the winter of 2022 is linked to the prolonged La Nina conditions present at that time.

Key Findings of the Study

Link between Pollution and Winter Months in India:

• From October to January, cities in northern India, such as Delhi, usually experience high levels of PM2.5 due to various meteorological conditions and pollution transported from states like Punjab and Haryana.
• In contrast, the western and southern regions of India typically have lower pollution levels due to their proximity to the ocean.
• However, the winter of 2022 marked a significant deviation from this trend, with northern cities, including Delhi, exhibiting cleaner air than usual, while cities in the west and south, like Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chennai, faced poorer air quality.

Anomalous Behaviour in Winter 2022:

• PM2.5 levels saw a notable reduction in Ghaziabad and Noida, with Delhi also reporting a slight drop.
• Conversely, cities like Mumbai and Bengaluru experienced an increase in PM2.5 concentrations.
• This resulted in northern cities having cleaner air compared to their western and southern counterparts.

Factors Causing Anomaly:

• The primary factor contributing to the unusual air quality in winter 2022 was a shift in the usual wind direction.
• Typically, winter winds blow from the northwest, transporting agricultural waste pollutants from regions like Punjab into Delhi.
• In winter 2022, however, winds shifted to a north-south direction, allowing pollutants from Punjab and Haryana to bypass Delhi and move over Rajasthan and Gujarat to southern regions instead.

La Nina's Influence:

• La Nina persisted unusually for three consecutive years leading up to winter 2022, significantly impacting wind patterns.
• This unique "Triple-Dip" La Nina phenomenon (2020-2023) had widespread effects on global climate and ocean conditions.
• It is important to note that not all La Nina events lead to evident changes in wind patterns over India, but the 2022 event was particularly strong, with its impact on air circulation becoming noticeable only in its third year.
• The study also indicates that the influence of El Nino on air quality in India remains unclear.

Conclusion

• The impact of La Nina on air quality in India during winter 2022 underscores the need to understand global climate patterns and their influence on local environmental conditions.
• Further investigations are essential to clarify the complex relationships between climate phenomena and air quality in India.

Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation

Why in News?

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is facing a significant risk of collapse, with recent research suggesting that human-induced emissions may hasten this process between the years 2025 and 2095.

What is AMOC?

About: AMOC is a major oceanic circulation system that transfers warm surface waters from tropical regions to the northern latitudes and returns cold, deep waters back towards the equator. This circulation is vital for redistributing heat globally and has a significant impact on regional climates, especially in Europe, North America, and near the Equator.

Mechanism:

• Warm Water Transport: AMOC carries warm, salty surface waters from tropical areas to northern regions, which helps to warm these areas, particularly Europe.
• Cooling and Density Increase: As these warm waters travel towards the poles, they lose heat to the atmosphere, and fresh cold water from melting Arctic ice mixes with them.
• Downwelling: The cooled, now denser water sinks to the ocean's depths in a process known as downwelling, primarily occurring in the North Atlantic Ocean.
• Southward Flow: This cold, dense water flows southward along the ocean floor, forming the deep limb of the AMOC, redistributing heat and nutrients across the ocean. As these waters rise again, they warm up, completing the circulation cycle.

Role of Indian Ocean:

• As the Indian Ocean warms at an accelerated rate, it generates increased precipitation.
• This precipitation draws air from different regions, including the Atlantic Ocean. With the high levels of precipitation in the Indian Ocean, the Atlantic experiences a reduction in rainfall.
• This decrease leads to higher salinity levels in the tropical Atlantic waters due to less rainwater available for dilution.
• As the saltier water moves north via AMOC, it cools more rapidly and sinks faster, potentially enhancing the circulation.

Contribution to Global Climate:

• The AMOC functions like a heat conveyor belt, warming northern latitudes while cooling southern regions, which contributes to the overall climate stability on Earth.

Threat:

• Increasing precipitation and rapid melting of the Greenland ice sheet have introduced more cold freshwater into the North Atlantic.
• This influx has decreased the salinity and density of ocean waters, resulting in an expansion of the colder ocean layer and a contraction of the warmer layer.
• As a result, AMOC is slowing down, raising concerns about its potential collapse.
• Moreover, human activities, particularly greenhouse gas emissions, can alter ocean temperatures and circulation patterns, further impacting AMOC.

Potential Cascading Effects:

• The collapse of AMOC could disrupt precipitation patterns globally, potentially destabilizing the southern Amazon rainforest, transforming it into a savannah-like ecosystem.
• Increased ocean heat in the southern hemisphere may accelerate the melting of the West Antarctic ice sheet, contributing to rising sea levels.
• The weakening of monsoon circulation in regions such as South Asia and Africa could lead to significant consequences for agriculture, water resources, and local climates.

What are Atmospheric Rivers?

Why in news?

second, more powerful atmospheric river storm was headed for Southern California recently, threatening to unleash life-threatening floods and landslides.

About Atmospheric Rivers:

• Atmospheric rivers are elongated, concentrated regions in the atmosphere that carry moist air from the tropics to higher latitudes.
• These systems are responsible for approximately 90 percent of the moisture movement from the tropics towards the poles.
• They serve as the largest mechanisms for transporting freshwater on our planet.
• Atmospheric rivers form when large-scale weather patterns align to create narrow channels, or filaments, that facilitate intense moisture transport.
• Globally, there can be ten or more atmospheric rivers occurring simultaneously.
• One notable example is the Pineapple Express, which transports moisture from the tropical Pacific around Hawaii to the western coasts of the United States and Canada.

Features:

• Typically, atmospheric rivers range from 250 to 375 miles in width and can extend over a thousand miles in length.
• They are more commonly observed on the East Coast compared to the West Coast.
• These phenomena primarily occur during the winter months in each hemisphere, coinciding with the peak of extratropical cyclones.
• An average atmospheric river carries a volume of water vapor roughly equivalent to the flow at the mouth of the Mississippi River, the second-longest river in North America.
• When atmospheric rivers encounter mountains or other local atmospheric dynamics, they are forced to ascend, leading to cooling and condensation of the moisture, which can result in heavy rainfall or snowfall.
• While atmospheric rivers are crucial for replenishing rainfall, they can also cause dangerous flash flooding, mudslides, and landslides, sometimes resulting in fatalities and property damage.
• When these systems move over land, they can produce conditions akin to hurricanes, characterized by intense and rapid rainfall, cyclone-force winds, and significantly increased wave heights.

What are Tropics?

The Tropics refer to a specific region of the Earth, defined as the area between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. Despite variations caused by topography and other climatic factors, tropical regions are generally warm and experience minimal seasonal temperature changes. A key characteristic of the Tropics is the high prevalence of rainfall in the moist inner regions near the equator, with the seasonality of rainfall increasing as one moves away from the equator.

Hindu Kush Himalayas

Why in News?

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) has issued a warning, advocating for "bold action" and "urgent finance" to avert ecological collapse in High Mountain Asia. They have described the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) as a 'biosphere on the brink' due to pressing environmental concerns.

What is the Hindu Kush Himalaya?

• Geographical Extent: The HKH region extends over 3,500 kilometers and spans eight countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, Myanmar, and Pakistan.
• Significance: This area contains one of the largest concentrations of ice and snow outside the polar regions.
• Biodiversity Hotspots: Four of the world’s 36 global biodiversity hotspots are located in this region, specifically:
  • Himalaya
  • Indo-Burma
  • Mountains of Southwest China
  • Mountains of Central Asia

Water Tower of Asia:

The HKH is often referred to as the 'Water Tower of Asia' because it is the source of at least 12 major rivers that flow across the continent, including:

• Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra, which flow towards the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal.
• Syr Darya and Amu Darya, which lead towards the now-diminished Aral Sea.
• Tarim River towards the Taklamakan Desert.
• The Yellow River towards the Gulf of Bohai.
• The Yangtze River towards the East China Sea.
• The Mekong River towards the South China Sea.
• Chindwin, Salween, and Irrawaddy rivers toward the Andaman Sea.

Concern

• Escalating Climate Threat: The HKH region is warming at a rate nearly double that of the average observed globally in the Northern Hemisphere.
• Ecosystem Degradation: It is reported that 70-80% of the original habitats in the region have been lost, with projections indicating this could increase to 80-87% by the year 2100.
• Human Vulnerability: The HKH is home to approximately 241 million people, many of whom experience food insecurity and malnutrition.

What is the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development?

• ICIMOD is a regional intergovernmental organization founded in 1983, dedicated to promoting a greener, more inclusive, and climate-resilient future for the Hindu Kush Himalaya.