A new study published in international journal, Environmental Science andPollutionResearch, has revealed that there has been a 0.54 degree celsius increase in Average temperature in the past 39 years. The study also pointed out thatKeralawitnesses an increase of 0.013 degree celsius in daily average temperature.
The study was conducted jointly by the department of atmospheric sciences at the University of Sao Paulo, the Federal University of Technology, and Federal University of Alagoas in Brazil, and the Kerala Disaster Management Authority. The study was done analyzing temperature patterns between 1980 and 2019 from 50 locations spread across the state.
The highest increase in average temperature was reported in Kannur and Kasaragod districts, while Palakkad and Thrissur experienced the lowest increase. The study was conducted after dividing the state into northern, central, and southern regions.
As per a study conducted by Venkiteswari M and others ofTamil NaduAgricultural University, while the annual minimum temperature in the state increased by 0.011 degree celsius in 36 years, the annual maximum temperature increased by 0.002 degree celsius during the same period (1981-2017). In Karnataka, the annual maximum temperature rose by 0.013 degree celsius in 37 years, while the annual mean temperature increased by 0.010 degree celsius per day per year, according to a study conducted by S Sridhara of the University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences in Shivamogga using temperature data from 1971-2007.
The study has warned that the temperature in the state would increase by 1.35 degree celsius in the next 100 years with some areas expected to experience a rise of as much as 2 degrees during the same period. As per the data collected from the upper catchment area of Kakki River in Pathanamthitta, the temperature in the area could increase by 2.09 degrees celsius in 100 years, while Thekkady in Idukki is likely to see the temperature rise by 2.03 degrees celsius during the same period.