An EUMETSAT (European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites) case study has used satellite data to take a closer look at the evolution of the Indian summer monsoon. Since the 1950s, there has been an increase in the frequency and intensity of heavy rainfall events, which the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) says is largely due to human-induced climate change. This monsoon is driven by unique geographical features such as the Himalayas, the Tibetan Plateau and the Indian Ocean, resulting in a marked reversal of wind and rainfall patterns between winter and summer.

Climate data from satellites and reanalyses, such as those from ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts), EUMETSAT's H SAF, opens an external URL in a new window and LSA SAF, opens an external URL in a new window, are crucial for monitoring the drivers and indicators of the monsoon, including sea surface temperature, wind patterns, rainfall, soil moisture and vegetation cover. Observations show an increase in localized heavy rainfall and a decrease in moderate rainfall events over the Indian subcontinent from 1951 to 2015, leading to more severe droughts.

The full case study can be read online: https://user.eumetsat.int/resources/case-studies/observing-changes-of-india-s-summer-monsoon, opens an external URL in a new window