2010 India’s hottest year in 110 years

In 2010,temperatures,the maximum as well as the minimum,were above normal across India. “These anomalies were more than 1 degree Celsius in most parts of central and northern India,” Tyagi said.

Minimum temperatures,in fact,exceeded the normal by almost 5 degrees on many days during November making it the warmest month in since 1901.

Besides global warming,”El Nino conditions that continued throughout 2009 only added to warmer days in the year and it continued for the early part of 2010 as well,” said S Pai,Director of National Climate Centre. “It was for a few months only,but it definitely had its impact.”

The sprinting mercury,however,did not affect the rainfall in 2010. The total rainfall of 121.5 cm was a shade above normal than the long period average of 119.7 cm. Monsoon rains between June and September made up about 75 per cent of the total rainfall. Of India’s 597 meteorological districts,the Met Department said,173 received excess rainfall,240 got normal,and 173 got deficient rainfall.