The term monsoon is customarily used in the South Asian context to refer to a period of widespread rains during June-September, otherwise known as the ‘Indian summer monsoon’. The common reference to a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ monsoon denotes whether the rainfall is in excess or deficient over a large area like India. While the monsoon has a wider economic and socio cultural importance for South Asia, its origins have been subject to much scientific debate.

Floods refer to the overflowing of a river or water body beyond its normal confines. They may take the shape of flash floods, surface floods, rapid onset or slow onset floods, depending on the manner of their occurrence.

Drought is a deficiency in precipitation for a season or more, resulting in water shortage. Droughts may be meteorological, agricultural or hydrological. Depletion of tree cover can combine with scanty rains to increase the magnitude of a drought.

In the last few decades, there has been an increasing incidence of high-humidity heat waves. Human-induced climate change has been proved to be the major factor behind the increased frequency and severity of heat waves all over the world.

As India braces itself for another cold wave this winter, its dynamics are explored in a brief treatise. The cloudiness, fog, precipitation and more are decoded for quick understanding and greater preparedness.

A hailstorm is a thunderstorm that produces ice as precipitation. Hailstorms can cause serious damage to crops and property. In India, hailstorms mostly affect the northeast and western Himalayas, with the maximum strikes in March and April.

Madhavan Nair Rajeevan, the Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, spoke with Sulagna Chattopadhay from within the precincts of his new office, providing an excellent overview of a possible link between increased extreme events and climate change.

Thunderstorms are localised phenomena that can cause substantial damage. These are classified into the ordinary or single-cell, long-lasting multiple-cell or violent super-cell ones. In India, the pre-monsoon season is when most thunderstorms occur.

Mapping India’s infrastructure growth, in an interview with G’nY, the affable Union Minister for Shipping, Nitin Gadkari, shows a dream that can decongest most of India’s roads and provide a huge fillip to India’s industry through all round development of waterways.

Rajive Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Shipping speaking with Editor, G’nY, highlighted the government’s initiatives in developing inland waterways and flagged the need for its integration with the coastal shipping for facilitating a vibrant transport system in the country.