Marufish BLoG

Thundershowers seen dousing mercury in north Vinson Kurian Thiruvananthapuram, March 24 Maximum temperatures over northwest India are expected to come down by 2 to 4 degree Celsius during the next three days as thunderstorms continue to flare up eastward from the region. The maximum temperatures are currently near normal over most parts of the country but the minimum temperatures have been hovering above normal by 2 to 5 degree Celsius over parts of northwest and central India. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its update on Tuesday that one such weather-maker system lay anchored over Jammu and Kashmir. On Tuesday, a weather-setting trough extended from Lakshadweep area to west Madhya Pradesh through south Konkan, Goa and Madhya Maharashtra with an embedded cyclonic circulation over west Madhya Pradesh. Another cyclonic circulation hovered over southwest Rajasthan. MOISTURE FEED The cool westerlies to northwesterlies packing the southward dipping western disturbances an...

Bushfire origins lie in Indian Ocean Wednesday, 25 March 2009 Dani Cooper ABC A weather pattern centred on the Indian Ocean may provide an early warning system for major bushfires in southern Australia, climate experts say. Dr Wenju Cai and Tim Cowan, of CSIRO 's Marine and Atmospheric Research have uncovered a link between the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and Victoria's killer bushfires. Cai will tell the Greenhouse 2009 conference today that 11 of 16 major bushfires in Victoria since 1950 have been preceded by what is known as a positive IOD event. He says, "an unprecedented" three consecutive positive IOD events preceeded February's devastating Black Saturday bushfires. The IOD refers to temperature fluctuations in the east and western Indian Ocean. In its negative phase, the IOD brings cool water to the ocean west of Australia and warm water to the north, leading to winds that bring rain-bearing air over the continent. In the positive phase, water temperatures a...

Model forecasts indicate normal monsoon this year Vinson Kurian Thiruvananthapuram, March 22 The International Research Institute (IRI) for Climate and Society at Columbia University has forecast normal to slightly above normal monsoon for India during June to September this year. This would be preceded by a spectacular pre-monsoon season, especially towards the East and northeast of the country, a comparative study of predictions by IRI and other models suggested. The IRI has also predicted above normal temperatures for North India during the April-May-June quarter, which is crucial for ‘setting up the monsoon’. The land-ocean temperature differential is the driving force behind the monsoon. BUSY NORTHEAST The May-June-July quarter witnesses the onset of monsoon orchestrated by the Arabian Sea arm along the Southwest coast and the Bay of Bengal over the northeastern States. IRI forecasts indicate a busy onset phase over the northeast, coming close on the heels a successful pre-monsoon...