New Delhi: The latest data released by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) reveals that 2016 was the warmest year for India in the last 116 years since 1901.Not just that, IMD’s “Statement on Climate of India during 2016" also reveals that India’s top five warmest years since 1901 have been recorded only in the last 15 years.

Here’s a list of the five hottest years in the recent past.

2016: The climate of India was significantly warmer than normal during 2016 in line with the warmer-than-normal global climate observed during the period. The annual mean land surface air temperature for 2016 was around 0.91 degree Celsius above the 1961-1990 average, thus making the year 2016 the warmest year on record since 1901.

The strong El-Nino event of 2015-16, which continued till early March 2016, and the global warming trend likely caused the significantly warmer temperature during winter and pre-monsoon seasons. Also, the northeast monsoon season rainfall over the country as a whole was the fifth-lowest since 1901.

2009: The year 2009 was the second warmest year after 2016 with annual mean land surface air temperature of about 0.84 degree Celsius above the 1961-1990 average. This was in line with the warmer-than-normal global climate during the period.

2009 also recorded the third-worst rainfall since 1901, behind 1918 when there was a 25% deficiency and 1972 when the deficiency was 24% of the long-period average. 2009 was an El-Nino year and India faced severe drought with rainfall being 22% below the 50-year average.

2010: The year 2010 was the third warmest year after 2016 and 2009 with annual mean land surface air temperature of about 0.81 degree Celsius above the 1961-1990 average. This was also in line with the warmer-than-normal global climate during the period.

The country, however, received normal rainfall which was 2% above the 50-year average.

2015: The year 2015 was the fourth warmest year after 2016, 2009 and 2010 with annual mean land surface air temperature of about 0.72 degree Celsius above the 1961-1990 average. This was also in line with the warmer-than-normal global climate observed during the period.

Southwest monsoon was erratic in 2015 and was recorded at 14% below the 50-year average. The drought-like condition was on account of El-Nino, which was the strongest since 1997 and 1998, according to Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology.

2002: The year 2002 was the fifth warmest year with annual mean land surface air temperature of about 0.67 degree Celsius above the 1961-1990 average. The year experienced a severe drought, owing to El-Nino. Total rainfall activity was 19% below the 50-year average.

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