Why is the weather pattern changing in countries around the world?

BY- Divyanka Pragati

The entire North India including the capital Delhi, Haryana and Punjab is scorching with scorching heat. It seems as if fire is raining from the sky in Rajasthan. Dozens of people have died in North India due to the extreme heat. The temperature crossed 55 degrees Celsius on the India-Pakistan border adjacent to Jaisalmer. People are saying that now the mood of the weather is changing.

Have you ever wondered why it happens that areas which were experiencing severe drought suddenly get flooded after heavy rains? It is a matter of concern that such changes are not happening at any one place but are coming to light again and again in different parts of the world. According to scientists, the reason behind this is also the change in climate, due to which the weather patterns are changing completely. The weather is becoming so irregular that it is becoming difficult to even predict it.

In this regard, a new study conducted by researchers at The University of Texas has revealed that climate change is behind these frequent changes between severe drought and heavy rains. According to him, perhaps these changes are influenced by the feedback loop inside the ground. In simple words, the interaction between the moisture present in the soil and the atmosphere is causing heavy rainfall even in dry conditions.

It is worth noting that in recent years there have been several instances when the weather suddenly changed from severe drought to heavy and potentially dangerous rainfall. For example, in December 2022, America’s California was facing such a severe drought that it had not been seen there even in the last 1,000 years. But suddenly the weather took a turn and due to rain the conditions started changing rapidly. Due to this, there were record floods in California in January, February and March 2023.

In this study, researchers have analyzed 40 years of data related to weather and water at the global level. They identified seven specific regions around the world where this trend is becoming increasingly severe. These regions include eastern parts of North America, Europe, eastern-southeast Asia, southern Australia, southern Africa, and southern parts of South America.

In this regard, Professor Jong-Liang Yang of the University of Texas and researcher associated with the study expressed concern about the sudden change from drought to flood in a press release, saying, “It is challenging for the society to deal with a natural disaster like drought, “But when there are flash floods, it becomes more difficult to respond. These changes are happening in many places.”

To understand this pattern, researchers have studied weather and water related data between 1980 and 2020. They found that the probability of heavy rainfall from drought increased from year to year during that period. However, the increase in its probability per year was very slight, ranging between 0.25 to 1 percent per year. How much this increase will be depends on its location.

Know how the equations are changing

Let us tell you that many factors like El Nino, La Nina and changes in climate can be responsible for sudden changes in weather and climate. However, this is the first study of its kind to examine how land-related processes may also play a role in these changes.

In their study, the researchers used a new method called causality analysis to identify land-based feedback loops. It is a statistical technique that helps determine whether one factor directly causes another.

The study found that during severe drought, in humid areas, drying of soil and plants causes water to evaporate rapidly, causing excess moisture to rise into the air, causing heavy rainfall. . On the other hand, during severe drought in arid regions, hot weather and low air pressure create conditions where pressure differences draw moisture from other places such as the ocean.

In this regard, Associate Professor of Hong Kong Polytechnic University and other researcher associated with the study, Shuo Wang, has expressed apprehension that due to climate change, such sudden changes in climate are happening more frequently.

He says, “Climate change is causing more frequent droughts and floods, causing serious damage to the environment, people’s property and infrastructure.” They hope their information can help develop early warning systems to mitigate the effects of sudden changes from dry to wet conditions.