GUWAHATI, Dec 26 - Winter has lost its chill. People are virtually feeling the warmth of the spring during the December days this time in this part of the globe, where December was a winter month of shivering cold till a few years back.
According to the sources in the Borjhar-based Regional Meteorology Centre (RMC) here, both North Lakhimpur and Imphal today recorded a 6.3 degree Celsius above normal minimum temperature, while Agartala recorded a 4.8 degree Celsius above normal minimum temperature during the day.
Similarly, Kailas Sahar (Tripura) today recorded a minimum temperature today which was 4.8 degree Celsius above normal for the period in this respect. Dhubri recorded a minimum temperature which was 4.5 degree Celsius above normal for the period in this respect.
Tezpur recorded a 4.3 degree Celsius above normal minimum temperature today, Dibrugarh recorded a 3.5 degree Celsius above normal minimum temperature and Guwahati recorded a 2.1 degree Celsius above normal minimum temperature today.
Significantly, Cherrapunji today recorded a minimum temperature today which was 1.5 degree Celsius above normal for the period and Shillong recorded a minimum temperature, which was only 0.1 degree Celsius below its normal minimum temperature for the period, said RMC sources.
Though a light rain or thundershower occurred this evening over Guwahati, under the impact of a trough running roughly along Longitude 88 degree East and north of Latitude 25 degree North, RMC sources said it may cause only a little dip in the temperature this night and a morning fog�tomorrow.
When asked to explain the reasons behind the present temperature-related condition, the sources said that for the chill of the winter the Northwesterly wind is required. But this time, this wind is still absent. This is because of the presence of the cyclonic circulations over the Bay of Bengal and its adjacent areas. These systems have been preventing the flow of the Northwesterly to this region, sources said.
However, according to noted weather scientist Professor BN Goswami, a Professor Emeritus of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, and a former Director of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), the present situation is the result of global warming. This phenomenon is causing rise in both the maximum and the minimum temperatures.
Together with this phenomenon, the heat radiated by the concrete structures during the night hours have been preventing the minimum temperature from plunging in the urban areas.��
The radiations from these structures, together with global warming, have turned the urban areas into heat islands. It may be said that urbanisation is responsible in a significant manner in raising the temperatures in the places like Bengaluru, Pune, etc, he said.��
Moreover, the wind waves from the mid-latitude may also influence the weather condition and temperatures, he said.