India's Climate Zones Shift: Marathwada Becomes Hotter, Konkan Wetter in 70 Years
· India · Indian Express, NDTV
Scientists from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) found that Marathwada and west Vidarbha have shifted into a hotter, drier climate zone over the past seven decades, while the Konkan coast and Kerala have seen expansion of the tropical monsoon zone. The study analyzed 70 years of weather records from 1951-1980 to 1991-2020, showing Marathwada moved from tropical savanna to hot semi-arid zone due to rising temperatures. This year's El Niño drought in Marathwada and Vidarbha affects a climate that has itself shifted, requiring updated water and farm planning. The change does not appear in central India's overall figures, where the hot semi-arid zone shrank slightly.
Why it matters
Farmers and water planners in Marathwada and west Vidarbha must adapt to a permanently hotter, drier climate, while coastal communities in Konkan and Kerala face increased rainfall and potential flooding risks.
Read the original report — Indian Express
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