Dehradun: Most of the areas in Uttarakhand are reeling under intense cold conditions since Sunday with cold wave being experienced in the plains and snowfall in the hilly areas. The weather department has predicted an extremely cold January and an unusually higher rainfall in the monsoons.
This time, it is expected that the Himalayas will witness snowfall, smashing many previous records. It will be much more colder in January and areas in the hills that recorded snowfall long time back, may once again have a similar experience. Scientists believe that the effect of La Nina on the western disturbance will bring forth more changes in the weather. This change will be specially seen in the Himalayas. Weather experts are considering it to be good for the environment as well as beneficial for farmers.
The effect of La Nina started a week ago. After this, the weather suddenly changed in the Himalayan region. The sudden snowfall towards the end of the year covered the hilly areas of Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand in a white sheet of snow.
What scientists say?
Dr Narendra, a scientist at Aryabhatta Science Research Institute in Nainital said the weather changes started in December itself. There was a 60 percent chance of La Nina conditions in the country and this has been proved correct, he said.
The effect of La Nina is likely to be observed for three months, said meteorologist Birendra Singh. "In the last few years, we were seeing that there was a dip in snowfall but this time the trend will change due to La Nina's impact. The effect will be visible for three months. It is likely that this time there will be higher rainfall as well," he added.
Experts believe that the impact of La Nina will work wonders in the field of agriculture. Good snowfall will increase the production of fruits, vegetables and other crops as there are many crops in the mountains that grow well after the snow, an expert said.
According to the Meteorological Centre, if La Nina's effect is seen across India and it will be most effective during the monsoons. It is possible that there will be more rains in the country, especially Uttarakhand. The wind speed will also be higher and people will experience cold conditions for a long time.
What is La Nina?
The World Meteorological Organization said that by February 2025, it is likely that the intensity of La Nina can increase by 60 percent. La Nina refers to a massive decrease in sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. This dip is associated with changes in tropical atmospheric circulation such as wind, pressure and rainfall. It is mainly associated with intense and prolonged rainfall during the monsoons and colder than normal winters in northern India.
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