Abstract
DURING the period Jan. 28-Feb. 3, 1929, an intense cold wave overran the whole of the north-west and centre of India, where surface temperature went down to about 12° C. below normal, several stations recording the lowest temperature in the last four or five decades. The results of a few soundings over Agra, which reached the stratosphere during and after the passage of the cold wave, appear to throw some light on the origin of the cold air. During winter the normal height of the tropopause over Agra (Lat. 27°) is about 14.5 gkm. and its temperature is 206° A. (see Dr. Ramanathan's Fig. 1, NATURE, June 1, p. 834), while with the invasion of the cold wave the base of the Agra stratosphere came down so low as 11.5 gkm. and its temperature rose to 213° A. The conditions in the troposphere and the stratosphere over Agra during the cold wave were similar to those normally found at about Lat. 40°. The trajectories of pilot-balloon flights up to 6 km. indicate that the cold air came from the north-west. It would thus appear that the cold wave had its origin somewhere to the east of the Caspian Sea.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
ROY, S., CHATTERJI, G. Probable Origin of the Cold Wave in India, February 1929. Nature 124, 579 (1929). https://doi.org/10.1038/124579c0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/124579c0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.