Is summer monsoon rainfall over the west coast of India decreasing?

Abstract

In this study, long-term changes in the summer monsoon rainfall over the west coast of India and adjoining eastern Arabian Sea (WCA) have been examined independently using rain gauge adjusted multisatellite rainfall data available since 1979. Present analysis using the satellite-based rainfall data agrees with the long-term rainfall decrease reported in the earlier studies. However, close examination of the data reveals that the rainfall in the recent years (since 2002) has started increasing over the WCA. Hence, it is stressed that a detailed analysis using the satellite-derived rainfall data of longer period is required to arrive at a firm conclusion. © 2013 Royal Meteorological Society.