2023 second warmest year since 1901: IMD

Kolkata: The year 2023 appeared to be the second warmest year since 1901, the India Meteorological Department said. Earlier, 2016 was adjudged as the warmest year.

Meanwhile, the temperature in Kolkata and several other South Bengal districts dropped by 1-2 degrees Celsius on Tuesday. The steady flow of North wind was hampered due to the impact of low pressure.

According to the IMD, the months of February and August were found to be the warmest months in the last 123 years. Quoting IMD data, a weather expert said that the entire country has witnessed 2023 as one of the warmest years in more than a century. The expert also pointed out that the annual mean surface temperature over the Indian landmass was 0.65 degrees Celsius above the long-term average temperature, which was marginally lower than 0.71 degrees Celsius recorded in 2016.

IMD records say that the five warmest years in Indian weather history were recorded within the last 14 years which has been a serious concern for the environmentalists. The records also suggest a rapid increase in surface temperature and change in weather patterns. The years which were registered as warmest are 2016, 2023, 2009, 2017 and 2010.

The lowest temperature may hover around 15-16 degree Celsius in Kolkata in the next couple of days. It may rain in all the western districts on January 4-5. The MeT office also said that there will be dense fog in several south Bengal districts in the next couple of days. There will be an impact of Western disturbances on Bengal.

The MeT office said that there may be scattered rainfall in Bangladesh on January 4. The western districts like Purulia, Bankura, West Midnapore, Jhargram, West Burdwan, Birbhum, Murshidabad and Nadia will witness thick fog in the early morning. The sky may turn partially cloudy in Kolkata from Wednesday.