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India's October 2023 was a record-breaking month in terms of warmth, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The country experienced its warmest October in 123 years, with minimum temperatures significantly exceeding the normal range. The IMD attributed this unusual warmth to a confluence of meteorological factors.
One key contributor was the delayed withdrawal of the southwest monsoon, which maintained a monsoonal flow throughout October. This sustained inflow of moisture from the Indian Ocean kept temperatures elevated. Additionally, the presence of four low-pressure systems during the month further contributed to the warm conditions. The absence of western disturbances, which typically bring cooler temperatures, also played a role in maintaining the above-average minimum temperatures.
The warmth extended across various regions of the country. Northwest India, central India, and south peninsular India all experienced record-breaking minimum temperatures for October since 1901. The all-India average minimum temperature for October was 21.85 degrees Celsius, compared to the normal average of 20.01 degrees Celsius. These warm conditions were not limited to October. The IMD forecasts that November will also see above-normal temperatures across India, with both day and night temperatures exceeding the usual range.
Despite the warmth, October was not without its weather activity. Cyclone Dana brought heavy and widespread rainfall to Odisha and West Bengal. However, the country as a whole experienced normal rainfall for the month, largely due to the timely onset of the northeast monsoon, which resulted in above-normal rainfall in east and northeast India, as well as southern India. This active northeast monsoon is expected to continue into November, bringing above-normal rainfall to Karnataka and Kerala, specifically.
The unusual warmth experienced in India highlights the potential impacts of climate change on weather patterns. While further research is needed to fully understand the extent to which climate change contributed to the record-breaking temperatures in October, the occurrence of such events serves as a reminder of the need for proactive measures to mitigate the effects of climate change and adapt to a changing environment.