Volcanic eruptions and warming climate disrupt long-standing link between Indian and Pacific oceans
A new study that combines paleoclimate data and climate models suggests that large volcanic eruptions can disrupt the relationship between atmospheric circulation patterns over the tropical Indian and Pacific oceans. In addition, human-caused greenhouse gas emissions are now driving an unprecedented breakdown in interbasin coupling, according to researchers at the Woods Hole Oceanographic…
A recent study published in Nature Communications suggests that the frequency of tropical cyclones originating near the Equator may increase over the Indian coast due to global warming and a cyclical event called the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). The PDO, which repeats every 20-30 years, has been in a 'warmer' or positive phase since 2019 and could lead to more frequent cyclones in the post-monsoon months.
This is because warmer waters can provide more moisture for cyclones, allowing them to gain intensity. Currently, an El Nino is developing in the Pacific, which has already caused rainfall deficits in central and southern India. The PDO, which is less studied than the ENSO, is generally associated with reduced rainfall over India during a positive phase, but when combined with a negative PDO, can bring more rain to the country.
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