2020 was 8th warmest year since 1901: IMD

NEW DELHI: The year 2020 was the eight warmest since 1901 but it was “substantially lower” than the highest warming observed in 2016, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday.

“During the year, annual mean land surface air temperature averaged over the country was 0.29 degree Celsius above normal (based on the data of 1981-2010),” the IMD said in a statement on Climate of India during 2020.

“The year 2020 was the eighth warmest year on record since nation-wide records commenced in 1901. However, this is substantially lower than the highest warming observed over India during 2016 (+0.71 degree Celsius),” it said.

“The country averaged annual mean temperature during 1901-2020 showed an increasing trend of 0.62 °C /100 years with significant increasing trend in maximum temperature (0.99 °C /100 years) and relatively lower increasing trend (0.24 °C /100 years) in minimum temperature,” the IMD stated.

“During the year 2020, annual mean land surface air temperature averaged over the country was 0.29 degree Celsius above normal (based on the data of 1981-2010). The year 2020 was the eighth warmest year on record since nation-wide records commenced in 1901,” the weather department said in a statement on Climate of India during 2020.

“However, this is substantially lower than the highest warming observed over India during 2016 (plus 0.71 degree Celsius),” the IMD said.

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