Tintoli A. Kuho and Kedovikho Yhoshü
Abstract
Through this study, the climatic variations in Nagaland over the past two decades were examined using geospatial techniques and historical climatic data. Nagaland, which is a state in northeastern part of India, has complex climatic factors that significantly influence its ecosystems, agriculture, and socio-economic conditions. Understanding these variations is crucial for sustainable development and environmental management in the region. The study involves analyzing historical climatic data, including temperature and precipitation collected from 17 weather stations scattered across the state. Geospatial data mainly in the form of Land Use-Land Cover data is integrated to provide a better perspective of the regionâs environmental dynamics. Geographic Information System (GIS) tools are used to map and visualize these climatic trends and their spatial distribution. Analysis is conducted to identify significant trends, patterns, and anomalies in the climatic data. Through the analysis, it is seen that the average temperature has been increasing for all stations for in the past 2 decades. An analysis of the rainfall data indicates a trend of increasing average rainfall across all observed weather stations, with the exception of Zunheboto Weather Station. Notably, Zunheboto exhibited a significant decline in average annual rainfall, decreasing from over 2050 mm prior to 2005 to approximately 1500 mm and below in the subsequent years. The geospatial analysis focuses on understanding the spatial distribution of temperature and rainfall dynamics and their impacts on the region. To further elucidate the impacts of climatic variations, the study incorporates land use and land cover change analysis. This involves examining how changes in land use, such as deforestation, agricultural expansion, and urbanization, have influenced climatic patterns in Nagaland. The study can be used to further assess the implications of these changes on the regionâs biodiversity, water resources, and human health.