STATE OF CLIMATE IN ASIA
2023 - REPORTS AND INDICES
News: New World Meteorological
Organisation report released
What's in the news?
●
Recently, the World Meteorological Organization’s
(WMO) has published the report “State of the Climate in Asia 2023”.
Key takeaways:
●
Asia is experiencing a warming trend that is almost
twice as fast as the global average
compared to the period from 1961 to 1990.
Findings of the Report:
1. Number of Extreme
Weather Events in Asia:
●
79 events associated with extreme weather, climate
and water-related hazards in 2023 affected over 9 million people in the region,
directly killing over 2,000 people.
●
Compared to 2022, the reported disaster events in
the region were lesser by only two in 2023.
●
The number of people impacted in 2023 was lower as
the 2022 Pakistan floods had alone affected over 30 million people.
2. Mean Temperature over
Asia:
●
In 2023, it was 0.91°C above the 1991–2020
reference period, the second highest on record.
●
Many parts of the region experienced extreme heat
events in 2023. Japan experienced its
hottest summer on record.
3. Glaciers in
High-Mountain Asia:
●
They have lost significant mass over the past 40
years, at an accelerating rate.
●
In 2023, record-breaking high temperatures and
drier conditions in the Eastern
Himalayas and the Tien Shan (mountain range) exacerbated mass loss.
4. Ocean around Asia:
●
Oceans have shown an overall warming trend since
the time series began in 1982.
●
In 2023, sea-surface temperature anomalies in the
north-west Pacific Ocean were the highest on record.
5. South-west China
Suffered from a Drought:
●
This was because of the below-normal precipitation
levels nearly every month of 2023.
6. Floods and Storms:
●
They have accounted for 80% of hydrometeorological
hazards.
●
For instance, Yemen
suffered heavy rainfall and resulted in widespread floods.
Extreme Weather Events
in India:
Go back to basics:
State of the Climate in
Asia:
Published by - World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
Objective:
●
To assess and present the current state of climate
conditions and trends across Asia.
Scope:
●
It covers various aspects such as temperature patterns,
precipitation levels, extreme weather events, and their impacts on ecosystems,
agriculture, and human populations.
Data Sources:
●
The report relies on data collected from weather
stations, satellite observations, climate models, and scientific research
conducted by experts in the field.