Wind pattern

“The intense heat across northwest India and the moisture is helping in the formation of more dust storms and cumulonimbus clouds and thunderclouds. Even though flights are not affected by rain, thunderstorms take a heavy toll on them because of the down burst and micro burst associated with them,” said RK Jenamani, head of the aviation meteorology services of Delhi region and IGI Airport. Down bursts are powerful, localised columns of wind that occur when cooled air drops from the base of a thunderstorm at incredible speeds — up to 60 mph — and subsequently hits the ground, spreading out in all directions.

Runways in airports are built in such a way that they are aligned with the prevailing wind conditions. It is because during take off and touchdown flights need winds from the opposite direction. While cruising, the aircraft ideally needs a tail wind.

“Usually westerly and north westerly winds prevail over Delhi as a result of which flights take off accordingly. But as this time easterly and south easterly winds are dominating, flights are being forced to change their take off and touchdown routes. This is taking more time and could also end up in burning more fuel,” added Jenamani.

Such weather events decrease the capacity of runways by nearly 20- 25% official said. Delhi, on average, sees around eight such events (including minor thunderstorms) in May, but has already seen five till May 13 leading to a large number of flight diversions.

The International Civil Aviation Organization’s 2016 environmental report warned that changes to the atmosphere, brought about by rising global temperatures caused by greenhouse gas emissions, would affect airplane’s ability to fly, while rising sea levels would affect airports. It said that impacts would include higherspeed winds impeding the ability of aircraft to take off and an increase in flight turbulence, instances of icing (formation of ice on surface of the aircraft), and engine-threatening dust storms.

Whether these recent events are results of global warming and climate change are yet to be ascertained, but scientists have warned that increasing temperatures could result in more dust storms both in terms of frequency and intensity across northwest India.

“It is possible that global warming is contributing to the increase in the thunderstorms over northwest India. During April-may, the land over northern India gets heated up and this heating results in “thermal lows”, where the surface pressure is less compared to less heated surrounding regions. These thermal lows are responsible for thunder storms and dust storms during the pre-monsoon months. As the global surface temperature increases, the thermal lows can also strengthen and result in stronger storm events. The increased surface warming would lead to more evaporation which in turn can result in stronger rain events,” said Sandeep Sukumaran, an assistant professor at Centre for Atmospheric Sciences at IIT Delhi who specialises in climate modeling. breach of peace,” the letter said.

Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, BJP spokesperson, however, said, “Those who called an elected chief minister (Narendra Modi) maut ka saudagar and those who have broken all records of breaking decency in public discourse, should not raise fingers at the Prime Minister. Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh should remember that when they raise one finger at Narendra Modi, four others point towards them. On the eve of counting of votes in Karnataka, the Congress is looking for an excuse to diver attention from an impending defeat.”

Singh and other Congress leaders said the Prime Minister is not expected to use menacing language even in the course of election campaign which tantamount to using his powers and privileges to settle “personal and political” scores. “The President may caution the Prime Minister from using such unwarranted, threatening and intimidating language against leaders of the Congress party or any other party of person as it does not behove the position of the Prime Minister,” the leaders said. Claiming that the Congress as the oldest party in India has faced many challenges and threats, the letter said the Congress leadership has always exhibited courage and fearlessness in facing threat and challenges. “We would like to state that neither the party nor our leaders will be cowed down by such threats.”

In the past, Singh and other leaders said all Prime Ministers had maintained “immense dignity and decorum” in discharge of public or private functions and actions. “It is unthinkable that in our democratic polity, the Prime Minister as the head of the government would utter words which are threatening, intimidating in content and a public warning to the leaders and members of the main opposition party.”