IMD Declares 2023 As India's Second-Warmest Year Since 1901

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the year 2023 concluded as the second-warmest year on record since 1901.

The warmest months were August and February, marking the highest temperatures in the past 122 years. The warmest year ever recorded during this period was 2016.

On a global scale, 2023 is poised to surpass all previous temperature records. It was marked as an El Niño year, characterized by elevated temperatures and extreme weather conditions.

Alarmingly, the last 14 years have seen the five warmest years in Indian weather history, indicating a rapid increase in surface temperature. In descending order, they are 2016, 2023, 2009, 2017, and 2010.

Based on IMD's analysis, thunderstorms and lightning caused the highest casualties, with 1,270 fatalities, followed by floods with 860, and heatwaves with 160.