Rainfall and temperature trend analysis in the red and lateritic zone of West Bengal

Due to inherent problems of water holding capacity of soil in the red and lateritic zone, the trend of climate change was assessed. Twenty rain gauge stations covering three districts (namely Bankura, Birbhum and Purulia) in the zone were considered to study the rainfall pattern. An increasing trend of yearly rainfall and shifting pattern of rainfall were observed in the said zone as a whole. The rainfall-during May decreased in most of the selected stations, where as in October the rainfall amount increased in 75% cases and in November it increased in 95% cases. Analysis of maximum temperature data shows that average monthly temperature of summer months (April May) of 1990-2000 decreased marginally compared to that. of 1970-80 The minimum temperature of the zone, as a whole shows-an increasing trend.