Monsoons to move east as climate warms: report

Last Updated: Mon, 2 Mar 2009 01:56:00 +1100

A new study says global warming could delay the start of summer monsoons by five to 15 days within the next century, and significantly reduce rainfall in much of South Asia.

Rising global temperatures are predicted to shift monsoon circulation further east, which could result in more rainfall over the Indian Ocean, Burma and Bangladesh, but less over Pakistan, India and Nepal.

It could also result in longer delays between rainy seasons and intensify deadly floods in the coastal areas of western India, Sri Lanka and Burma.

The study's author and interim director of Purdue University's Climate Change Research Center, Noah Diffenbaugh, says agriculture, water and hydroelectric generation could also be substantially affected.

Almost half of the world's population lives in areas affected by the monsoons.

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