After Delhi recorded 41.2 mm of rain on December 26-27, marking the highest single-day December rainfall in 101 years, the experts began to ask if the national capital witnessed climate change. Earlier, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed the highest-ever rainfall on a single day in the month on December 3, at 75.7 mm. With the recent rainfall records, December 2024 also became the fifth-highest in terms of monthly rainfall since records began in 1901.

The IMD said, “The 24-hour cumulative rainfall ending at 8:30 am on December 28 is the second-highest since 1901 at Safdarjung. The monthly rainfall is the fifth-highest. The 24-hour cumulative rainfall refers to the rainfall during the past 24 hours, ending at 8:30 am IST on the given date.”

Highest Single-Day Rainfall Goes Up

Earlier, Delhi received the highest single-day rainfall of 153mm on July 8-9, 2024. The national capital received an additional 107 mm of rainfall in the next 24 hours. Delhi NCR received a total of 260 mm of rainfall in 36 hours. It was the highest rainfall since 1982 due to western disturbances over northwest India.

The heavy rainfall in the upper catchment areas of Yamuna from Himachal Pradesh to Haryana led to the swelling of rivers, bringing floods.

Climate Change Impact?

The water level in these rivers reached 208.66 metres on July 13, 1982, surpassing 207.49 metres in September 1978.

Is it happening due to the climate change, that has rocked the weather and altered the climate conditions of many parts of the world?

What Is Climate Change?

According to the United Nations, climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. On its official website, the world body says, “Such shifts can be natural, due to changes in the sun’s activity or large volcanic eruptions. But since the 1800s, human activities have been the main driver of climate change, primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas.”

Explaining the reasons for climate change, the UN has said that burning fossil fuels generates greenhouse gas emissions, which works like a blanket wrapped around the Earth, trapping the sun’s heat and raising temperatures.

Will Winter Get Extended In Delhi?

Earlier, after analysing the recent climate conditions, Delhi-based environmental consulting organisation, Climate Trends, said in a report that the winter may get extended in Delhi NCR and parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain.

Climate Trends said further that due to climate change, the surface wind speed gets reduced significantly during winter.

It said further that due to the stagnation in winter, the atmospheric conditions do not help increase the vertical mixing of particulate matter.

Consequently, the atmospheric conditions deteriorate and more particulate matter remain suspended in the air for longer time.

Will Delhi Be Hotter?

University of Maryland has revealed in its ‘Future Urban Planets’ that New Delhi’s 2080 summer is most likely to be 4.5 degrees Celsius warmer, and 1.4% drier. It also said that the average temperature in winter could rise by 4.9 degrees Celsius.

Delhi government has warned in its draft action plan on climate change that the city government may lose RS. 2.75 trillion by 2050 due to climate change.

It has also expressed the apprehension that there may be drastic changes in precipitation and temperature patterns threatening the vulnerable groups in a big way.

The report has also highlighted heavy precipitation and higher temperatures in recent years.

The draft action plan also says that there may be an increase of 1.4 consecutive wet days and a rise of 0.9 heavy precipitation days.

Though it is too early to reach a conclusion, it can be said safely that Delhi NCR may be heading towards climate change or may be coming under its impact at least partially.