Indian Geography: El-Nino and La-Nina | What is El Nino and La Nina | Smart Revision | UPSC | CSE

OnlyIAS Extended

27 Jul 202306:28

Summary

TLDRThe video discusses the recent notification by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warning Indian farmers about reduced rainfall due to the El Niño oscillation in the Pacific Ocean. It explains how El Niño disrupts normal weather patterns, weakens Indian monsoons, and impacts agriculture. Historical data from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) shows significant drought conditions during past El Niño events. The video also touches on La Niña, which strengthens monsoons and increases rainfall. Both phenomena have considerable effects on India's climate, agriculture, economy, and biodiversity, influencing productivity and forest fires.

Takeaways

🌐 The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has warned Indian farmers to prepare for droughts caused by the upcoming El Niño event.
🌊 El Niño is associated with a weather phenomenon known as the Oscillation in the Pacific Ocean, which can significantly impact the Indian monsoon.
🌧️ In the past 123 years, India has faced 22 droughts, 16 of which were linked to a weak or delayed monsoon.
🌡️ El Niño events can reverse the normal weather patterns, causing low pressure in the eastern Pacific and high pressure in the western Pacific, affecting rainfall.
🌦️ During El Niño, the western Pacific experiences less rainfall, leading to drought-like conditions in India and other regions.
🌍 The El Niño cycle is irregular, occurring roughly every two to seven years, and its impact on weather patterns is complex.
🌿 El Niño can lead to a significant increase in forest fires in India due to delayed monsoon rains.
🌾 A positive impact of the Indian monsoon is increased agricultural productivity, which can boost the green cover and livestock sector.
💧 Hydroelectric power generation can also benefit from good monsoon rains.
🌟 Considering all factors, El Niño can create both favorable and challenging conditions for India's agricultural sector, economic growth, and environment.

Q & A

What did the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) notify Indian farmers about?
-The WMO notified Indian farmers to be prepared for distress due to a predicted El Niño event, which is expected to cause droughts.
What is an El Niño event and how does it impact the Indian subcontinent?
-An El Niño event refers to a climate phenomenon characterized by an abnormal warming of the sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, which significantly impacts the Indian monsoon, potentially leading to droughts.
How does the Pacific Oscillation affect the Indian monsoon and rainfall?
-The Pacific Oscillation influences the Indian monsoon by altering wind patterns and sea surface temperatures. During an El Niño event, these changes can lead to reduced rainfall and drought conditions in the Indian subcontinent.
What is the normal process of the Pacific trade winds and how does it affect the Indian subcontinent?
-Under normal conditions, the trade winds in the Pacific Ocean blow from east to west, pushing warm water towards Australia and Asia, creating low pressure and resulting in good rainfall in the western Pacific region. This process also influences the Indian monsoon, contributing to rainfall in the Indian subcontinent.
What happens to the Pacific trade winds and sea surface temperatures during an El Niño event?
-During an El Niño event, the trade winds weaken, and the warm water that usually travels westward starts flowing back towards the east. This results in high pressure in the eastern Pacific and low pressure in the western Pacific, leading to reduced rainfall in the western Pacific region.
How does the El Niño phenomenon impact the Peruvian fisheries sector?
-El Niño events can cause significant damage to the Peruvian fisheries sector by disrupting the normal process of upwelling, which is crucial for the abundance of fish in the region.
What is the impact of El Niño on the Indian agriculture sector?
-El Niño can lead to drought-like conditions in India, affecting the agriculture sector negatively. This can result in reduced crop yields and increased incidents of forest fires, impacting the economy and employment in the sector.
How does the Indian monsoon affect the Indian agriculture sector?
-The Indian monsoon plays a critical role in the agriculture sector by providing the necessary rainfall for crops. Delays or deficiencies in the monsoon can lead to droughts, affecting crop productivity and the livelihoods of farmers.
What are the economic implications of El Niño for India?
-El Niño can have economic implications for India by affecting the agriculture sector, which is a significant contributor to the country's economy. Reduced agricultural productivity can lead to increased food prices and potential job losses.
How does El Niño affect the health sector in the Indian subcontinent?
-El Niño can indirectly affect the health sector by exacerbating drought conditions, which can lead to water scarcity, increased risk of vector-borne diseases, and other health-related issues.
What measures can Indian farmers take to mitigate the impact of El Niño?
-Indian farmers can prepare for the impact of El Niño by adopting drought-resistant crop varieties, improving water management practices, and diversifying their farming activities to reduce the risk associated with reduced rainfall.

Outlines

00:00

🌊 Impact of El Niño on Indian Monsoon

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has warned Indian farmers to prepare for the distress caused by the upcoming El Niño event. El Niño, a climate phenomenon, is linked to the Indian monsoon, which in turn affects agriculture heavily. The script discusses how El Niño, which typically occurs every two to seven years, can lead to drought-like conditions in India, impacting the agricultural sector that employs nearly 45% of the population. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) data shows that India has faced drought-like conditions 22 times in 123 years, often linked to the El Niño events. The script explains the reversal of normal conditions during El Niño, where trade winds weaken, causing a shift in the distribution of hot water in the Pacific Ocean, leading to a decrease in pressure and affecting the monsoon patterns. This can result in lower rainfall in India and disrupt the economic, environmental, and biodiversity aspects.

05:00

🌱 El Niño's Effect on Indian Agriculture

The script highlights the significant impact of the monsoon on the Indian subcontinent, particularly on agriculture, which is heavily influenced by the onset and retreat of the monsoon. Droughts caused by delayed monsoon can lead to situations akin to a draft in India, affecting the entire agricultural sector. This sector is crucial as it contributes to nearly 45% of total employment in India. The script also mentions the increase in forest fire incidents due to delayed monsoon. On the positive side, good rainfall can boost productivity in crops and grasslands, benefiting the livestock sector and hydroelectric power generation. The script concludes by suggesting that while El Niño can create adverse conditions for the agricultural sector, it also presents an opportunity for India's economic growth, environment, and biodiversity.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡World Meteorological Organization

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations for meteorology, climatology, and hydrology. In the video, WMO issues a notification about the potential distress caused by the El Niño event, which is a significant part of the discussion on weather patterns and their impact on India's monsoon.

💡El Niño

El Niño is a climate phenomenon that occurs every few years, characterized by a warming of the sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific Ocean. It has global weather impacts, including affecting the Indian monsoon, as discussed in the video. The script mentions how El Niño can lead to drought-like conditions in India.

💡Monsoon

The monsoon is a seasonal wind system, particularly significant in South Asia, which brings heavy rainfall and is crucial for agriculture. The video discusses how El Niño can impact the Indian monsoon, leading to droughts or excessive rainfall.

💡Indian Subcontinent

The Indian Subcontinent refers to the region comprising India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and surrounding countries. The video talks about how weather phenomena like El Niño can affect this region's climate, particularly its monsoon patterns.

💡Pacific Oscillation

The Pacific Oscillation is a term used to describe changes in the atmospheric pressure and sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, which is associated with El Niño and La Niña events. The video explains how these oscillations can influence the Indian monsoon.

💡La Niña

La Niña is the opposite phase of El Niño, characterized by cooler than average sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific. The video script mentions La Niña in the context of understanding the El Niño phenomenon and its effects on weather patterns.

💡Drought

Drought is an extended period of abnormally low precipitation, leading to a water shortage. The video discusses how El Niño can cause drought conditions in India, affecting agriculture and water resources.

💡Agriculture

Agriculture is the art and science of cultivating plants and livestock for food, fiber, and other products. The video highlights how El Niño can impact the Indian agriculture sector by causing droughts or floods, which can lead to crop failures.

💡Hydroelectric Power

Hydroelectric power is electricity generated from water resources. The video mentions that heavy rainfall, which can be influenced by El Niño, can boost hydroelectric power generation in India.

💡Climate Impact

Climate impact refers to the effects of climate change or climatic events on the environment, economy, and society. The video discusses the various impacts of El Niño on the Indian climate, including agriculture, water resources, and economic sectors.

💡Economic Growth

Economic growth is the increase in the production of goods and services of an economy over time. The video script implies that the El Niño phenomenon can have both positive and negative impacts on India's economic growth, depending on the sector.

Highlights

World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warns Indian farmers to prepare for distress due to El Niño.

El Niño causes a specific type of oscillation in the Pacific Ocean that impacts Indian monsoon.

In the past 123 years, India has faced drought-like conditions 22 times, often linked to the Indian monsoon.

El Niño and La Niña are terms used to describe the oscillation in the Pacific Ocean's climate.

Normal conditions involve trade winds blowing from east to west across the Pacific, influencing weather patterns.

El Niño events reverse the normal process, causing trade winds to weaken and altering weather patterns.

IMD data shows that India experienced less rainfall during El Niño events in several years, including 1902, 1905, 1951, and others.

El Niño can cause significant economic damage to sectors like fisheries.

La Niña events can lead to increased rainfall and flooding in India.

El Niño is not a regular cycle, occurring irregularly between two to seven years.

Trade winds from Peru to Asia become significantly stronger during certain climate events.

Increased east-to-west pressure and strange weather in coastal regions are observed during La Niña events.

El Niño significantly impacts the Indian monsoon, leading to higher rainfall.

The impact of El Niño and La Niña on the Indian climate is significant for agriculture, health, and the economy.

Droughts caused by delayed monsoons can lead to significant agricultural losses in India.

Good monsoon rains can increase crop productivity and benefit the livestock sector.

Hydroelectric power generation can be boosted by good monsoon rains.

Considering all factors, El Niño can create favorable conditions for the Indian agricultural sector, impacting economic growth, environment, and biodiversity.