Manipur - Climate
The climate of Manipur is moderate. The four months which are not enjoyable are May, June, July and August. May is the hottest month. In June, July and August, there is monsoon downpour. In all these four months, the Valley is infested with mosquitoes. But even in May, the climate is cooler than that of the Gangetic-Brahmaputra Valley in May.
Climate in the western part of the state is tropical whereas the rest part of the state experiences sub tropical climate with distinct summer, winter and rainy seasons. The valley gets the reflection of the heat of the summer and the cold of the winter from the neighboring hills. Average annual rainfall ranges from 1250 mm to 2700 mm. The months of November, December, January and February remain dry and the remaining eight months are more or less rainy. January is the coldest month and May-June are hottest months.
The Tropic of Cancer lies a little to the south of the southern boundary of Manipur. If it were only for the latitudes, the climate of Manipur would be hot; but there is the factor of altitude also Since the Valley is about 2,600 feet above the sea-level, the climate is cool. Imphal and Silchar are very nearly on the same latitude. The climate of Imphal is cool. That of Silchar is hot The hills are still higher and therefore colder than the Valley. But the climate is hot in Jinbam, the western-most part of Manipur and at Moreh. In the south-eastern part of Manipur. Because Jinbam is only about 131 ft, above the sea-level.
Environmental scientists in Manipur have observed rapid increase of both the maximum and minimum temperatures in the last sixty years in the state. The changing trends of temperature, monsoon rainfall pattern, and changes in precipitation in Manipur suggest that the state is getting the impact of climate change, said Dr Brajakumar, scientist in-charge at Climate Change Cell, Directorate of Environment, and Government of Manipur. During the last 60 (sixty) years, the minimum temperature recorded in the month of January in the state has been decaying with increase on an average of 1.6°C.
Agricultural scientist has claimed that the unpredictably change of monsoon, irregular distribution of rainfall and rapid change in precipitation pattern since last few years has affected in many livelihood sectors as well as in biodiversity. Increase in temperature directly and indirectly affects agriculture in both positive and negative ways.
The trend is undergoing at the whole northeastern states, as a result of rainfall irregular distribution there have been huge effect on Rabi crops with no irrigation during Rabi season and lives in remote hill areas suffers severe scarcity of water. The drought in 2009 resulted huge loss (about 25 percent) of food grain production in NE region. While in 2011, in contrast to 2009, there was excess rain by about 10 percent and due to rain receive during November coincided with rice harvest caused severe loss of food grain in the region.
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