Climate and physiographic of Manipur have been a mutual evidence since its existent.
The present climate trend shows that the first phase of warming peak in 1940s, followed by the slide decline in global mean temperature, by this time
climatologists predicting the returned of cooler conditions and perhaps even another Ice Age (glacial advance in most of the continents) from the mid 1970s the
cooling trend reversed and mean temperatures rose suddenly and rapidly through the 1980s into the 1990s.
Climatic controls are the main factor today's civilization where we are living today. Including Soil, Landforms, hydrology, atmosphere, physical features,
Human settlements and agricultural and organism comprises for a systems to controlled the valley like Imphal even though it is small.
It will be very interested to study the Macro and micro climate of our small native place to detect the changing nature.
Living as we do in the lowest few meters of atmosphere, we should have a special interest in the climate of this zone. The global climate change need
broadly awareness by the local level in the society like up to Imphal Valley a small town within nine ranges of hills in the state of Manipur, North East India .
For example the normal people can have idea of the status of Ozone (gas made up of three atoms of Oxygen) layer levels above the Imphal surface in the lower part
atmosphere. As at the lowermost part of atmosphere has been increasing as a result of higher car pollution particularly nitrogen oxides; has a harmful effect
on plant growth as well as causing respiratory problems.
Most of communities in Manipur should have the environmental awareness by considering the present and past situations for the ecological and climatic point of view.
For example the present agriculture system is going to be worse because of less rainfall this year. We don't know it may be happening for another next 10-20
years which can change the economic condition of Manipur as we are agricultural base society.
The knowledge of macro and micro climate need detail collection of data for longer ranges to short ranges time duration. In climatic data of Imphal in document
is recorded since 1952 in the climatological Table as compare to other state of India we open our scientific documentation very late having the difference of 20 years.
Again India is late when it compare with the U.K and other developed countries. The research is the fundamental rights for the developed countries whereas
Manipur people are still asking for the freedom of right and human rights which is very lacking behind.
In the mean time such information which I am mentioning below may be helpful for younger generation academicians to do research for the future of the
Human civilization including present and the past and the future.
If someone who is willing to know the origin of Meeteis community using the scientific approach can considered one of the example; that Meeteis were settled in the
hills like Koubru Hill, Thanjing hill later on migrated to the valleys at Kangla that is the Imphal valleys may be of the climatic reason or factors
as this hills are still is one of the significant diverse and complicated zone in its micro climatic nature.
Even though Imphal has been known for 2000 years of history, the first observatory station to record the climatological table was established in 1952 at
the Imphal/ Tulihal Airport at 781m from mean sea level. In this context I am giving a brief detailed of the climatic attributes of 30 years i.e.
since 1952-1980 to remind the Idea of climatic condition of Imphal Valley.
Air pressure during 1950-1980:
The pressure level pressure is 818.9 for the annual total. of the 28 years .
The air Temperature data of the Imphal during these durations shows a mean values
20.2 oC of dry bulb and 17.5 wet bulbs where the daily maximum is of 26.6oC and the daily minimum of 14.2oC and the highest in the month is of 33.7 oC.
The Total means Air temperature highest bulb 22.3 oC - lowest bulb is 18.3 oC
The extreme Air temperature for highest is 35.6 oC (1979) - lowest is -2.7 (1970)
Humidity during 1950-1980:
The humidity data Imphal for the data 29 years concentration of water vapour in the air is measure in percentage of the volume of the 1 square m.
Relative humidity: Max . 77 - Min. 18.9 (%)
Max. 68- Min.-18.8 (%)
Rainfall during 1950-1980:
Rainfall consists of water droplets that vary in size produced by thin low level stratriform clouds.
The mean of Total annual rainfall was 1353.1 mm.
The total rainy days are 94 days in year during the year 1952 -1980.
July month had the maximum no. of rainy days i.e. 16.4 days with the rainfall of 283.8mm.
During the wettest Months the rainfall is 1764.8mm in the year 1966 and the rainfall in driest months is 903.9 mm. in the year 1979.
The heaviest rainfall in 24 hours was 122.4 hr in continues on 27th January 1956 .
Whereas the maximum wind speed was 7.3 km. per hours in the month of April.
Weather Phenomena during 1950-1980:
To most people three types of precipitation comes immediately to mind: rain, snow and hail. But it represents the vital inputs of waters to the surface
hydrological system. Precipitated drops of 0.33mm or more diameters are 135.9 days a year during the 28 years.
Hail is 1 %, thunder is of 54 days a year, and fog appeared for 35.5 days per year.
Wind: in Imphal during 1950-1980.
Wind speed more than 20-61 Km. per hour was 2 times in the month of May and total of 8 days speedy wind blows in a year where as the wind speed between 1-19 km. per hr. is present 243 days a year during the data of 24 years.
The total annual mean wind direction flows from south (S) is 12 days, North (N) is 3days, NE-4days, East (E) is 5 days, SE is for 9days, SW is 6days, West (W)
is 3 days NW is 4 days.
Cloud during 1950-1980:
Shows no. of days in a year with the cloud amount (all clouds) in OKTAS values are given here as for 0 is 44days , 1-2 is 82days , 3-5 is 74days, 6-7 is 124 days ,
and 8- is 69days for the overall data of 25 years. It is very pleasant to view the cloud in the late evening during the month of October for a
reddish colour cloud refracted by the sun set time from the west.
Visibility during 1950-1980:
No. of visibility in Km. ranges in horizontal or vertical views are shown with the no. of days per year in an annual total for 25 years data shows that
Up To 1Km- 10.3 days, 1-4kms- 35 days, 4-10 Kms - 217.2 days, 10-20kms- 97.9 days and over 20 Kms. is 4.4.
If we have the climatic data of longer period it can give vital input to the earth atmospheric, planetary oceanic system because of its ultimate importance
to human activities, a great deal of attention has been paid to measuring, mapping and predicting climates.
I wish in the state like Manipur it is very
important to have the climatic observatory station in both hills and plains district for the future of society.
The understanding of the climatic changes in the region is one of the important awareness for the nation and for the earth system we live in.
I have to spent good enough time for scientific work to digest such data by comparing the recent climatological data from 1980 t0 2000.
In the mean time such information are require for the betterment of the develop society in the field of energy sector, construction of structures ecology, agriculture, famines, hazards, livelihood of the people.
*** This information's are collected from the climatological tables 1951-1980 Govt. of India and others environmental books.
Lukram Ingocha Meetei, a research scholar at Aquaculture Lab,Department of Geology , University of Delhi, writes regularly to e-pao.net
He can be contacted at [email protected]
This article was webcasted on September 24th, 2005.
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