Climate Variability, Extreme Rainfall and Temperature Events over different Agroecological Zones of Bihar V

Extreme climate events like flood, drought, stormy rainfall and cyclone put a major impact on human society and produce widespread response to adapt and mitigate the adverse effects associated with these extremes. Data of 45 years for representative centres falling in three agro ecological zones of Bihar was analyzed. Trends in temperature and rainfall extremes were analyzed on the basis of series of daily data. A set of climate extreme indices that measures many aspects of a changing climate including changes in intensity, frequency and duration of temperature and rainfall events was computed. Analysis of these indices provided clear evidence that different aspects of temperature and rainfall extremes exhibited significant changes during 1961-2005. The region has been clearly warming over the last few decades and extremes of temperature have changed accordingly. Extreme maximum temperature events showed a decreasing trend for all stations except Patna (zone IIIB). Number of rainy days showed a significant increasing trend for Patna and Sabour (zone III), however, a decreasing trend for zone I and II (Pusa and Madhepura)