Statistical study of surface temperature and rainfall over four stations in north Bengal

Abstract

This article presents the study of recent trends of surface temperature and rainfall over some selected stations of North Bengal based on 30 years' data (1979-2008). The study revealed that the degree of warming are more pronounced over two most rapidly developing towns of Jalpaiguri and Malda which may be attributed to rapid urbanization and infrastructure development taking place in the districts; the degree of warming observed over Malda being more pronounced than that over Jalpaiguri and it is the least over Balurghat. Also, the intensity of seasonal as well as annual cumulative rainfall over Balurghat is increasing more significantly; the increase in intensity being most significant during the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons; the geographical location and orography of Balurghat, the least developed town, may be attributed to such an increase.