Meghalaya set a new unwelcome record in terms of mean temperature with 2023 being the state’s hottest year on record.
This and other statistics were presented in a report called the Statement on Climate for Meghalaya, produced by the office of Climate Research and Services at the India Meteorological Department in Pune.
The report attempts to capture the regional climate variability of Meghalaya, especially with reference to weather parameters like temperature and rainfall, which have huge impact on various sectors like agriculture, health, power, water management and many other critical domains.
All the seasons were “substantially warmer” for Meghalaya in 2023. The mean temperature over the state was warmer than the average by 1.125 degrees Celsius, “thus making it the warmest year on record for the state since 1901.”
The annual maximum and minimum temperatures averaged over the state during 2023 were warmer by 1.72 degrees Celsius (second warmest since 1901) and 0.53 degree Celsius (fourth warmest since 1901) and, put together, the year was the hottest since 1901.
2021 was the previous hottest year on record (+0.956 degrees Celsius warmer), while 2022 (+0.826 degrees Celsius warmer) was the second-hottest. 2009 and 2016 are also among the five hottest years on record, which suggests a warming trend in keeping with a global rise in temperatures.
In terms of rainfall, one district (South West Khasi Hills) received large amounts of excess rainfall in 2023, +60 percent or more compared to the long period average (1971-2020).
Three districts received normal rainfall (classed as being between -19 percent and +19 percent of LPA) – East Khasi Hills, East Garo Hills and South Garo Hills.
Six received deficient rainfall (-20 per cent to -59 per cent of LPA) – South West Garo Hills, North Garo Hills, West Garo Hills, West Khasi Hills (including Eastern West Khasi Hills), Ri-Bhoi and East Jaintia Hills.
West Jaintia Hills was much worse at receiving 66 per cent less than the LPA in rain, putting it in the large deficient category.
