Temperature patterns over Northeast and West Coast Regions of India

Abstract

Abstract The study examines whether maximum/minimum temperature is responsible for a warming/cooling trend. In order to accomplish this, linear regression was used in temperature series such as mean (Tmean), maximum (Tmax), minimum (Tmin) and diurnal temperature range (DTR). A detailed analysis indicates that 11 out of 13 stations over the West Coast region (WCR) show a significant increase in annual Tmean as a result of an increase in annual Tmax. However, the Northeast region (NER) shows a mixed trend, with 6 stations displaying significant increases in annual Tmean and 2 showing significant decreases. Both these patterns can be ascribed to a decrease or increase either in Tmin or Tmax. In DTR, 85% of the stations over the WCR show a significant increasing trend, while 60% of stations in the NER display a significant decreasing trend. Analysis of meteorological parameters reveals that low/medium cloud, calm days, winds, forest cover and population growth influence Tmax/Tmin for the NER, whereas low cloud cover and wind direction have an influence over the WCR.