LONG TERM CLIMATE CHANGE ASSESSMENT DURING 1907 - 2015 IN THE KUMAUN HIMALAYA REGION, UTTARAKHAND

Abstract

Climate change is considered as a significant man-made global environmental challenge currently faced by the mankind today. The warming has a direct impact on the temperature sensitive snow and ice cover, geo-hazards and water supply. Objective of this study is assess the long term climate change assessment in the Kumaun Himalaya region. Monthly temperature and rainfall IMD data of years from 1907 to 2015 has been processed in the study. Monthly trend and statistical significance of rainfall and temperature were estimated using Mann-Kendall (MK) Test and the Sen’s Slope Estimator. The results show that monthly, annual and seasonal air temperature has increasing trend at significant level during the past 110 years, as against the global average of 0.5°C. The overall monthly and annual precipitation has decreasing trend at significant level in all weather station under study except Mukteshwar. Annual mean minimum temperature of the Kumaun Himalaya region showed a very significant increasing trend and has increased by 1.026°C per 110 years during the period 1907-2015. This warming is mainly contributed by the winter and post-monsoon seasons, which have shown increasing trend at significant level as compared to other seasons in the last century. The rainfall over the region showing significant decreasing trend in monthly rainfall over the time In monsoon season, rainfall is showing decreasing trend at significant level all over the Kumaun region but winter, pre monsoon and post monsoon season showing high degree of variability in trend and magnitude of rainfall.