TEHRAN –Despite a significant increase in rainfall over the past two weeks, the country is still facing a shortage of rainfall compared to normal conditions, according to the Metrological Organization.

During the last week ending March 1, the country received an average of 16.7 mm of rainfall, which shows an increase of 121 percent compared to the normal amount in the long term (7.6 mm).

From the beginning of the current Iranian month (February 20) to March 2, an average of 20.9 mm of rain has been recorded, while the long-term figure is equal to 11.6 mm, showing a 79.8 percent increase compared to the long-term average.

Since the beginning of winter, an average rainfall of 66.8 mm has been recorded. In comparison to the long-term amount, which is 81.1 mm, the country has experienced a 17.6 percent decrease in precipitations.

Moreover, the amount of rainfall that has been recorded since the beginning of the current Iranian year, which started on March 21, 2023, shows a decrease of 28.6 percent compared to the long-term average.

The southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan has received rainfall 15.5 percent more than normal since the beginning of the current water year (September 21). The northern provinces of Golestan and Mazandaran, and the western province of Kordestan ranked next with 9.6 percent, 5.9 percent, and 0.5 percent rainfall more than normal, respectively.

During the same period, the amount of rainfall in other provinces has been less than normal. The southern province of Hormozgan has experienced 66.1 percent rainfall less than normal.

Disrupting rainfall

Climate change rather than regional factors is responsible for disrupting rainfall patterns in the country, Darioush Gol-Alizadeh, head of the national center for weather and climate change affiliated with the Department of Environment, has said.

He made the remarks on Wednesday in the first scientific seminar on the role of probable factors in lowering the volume of rainfalls in the country.

“Climate change and air pollution are closely interlinked. Air pollution can lead to an increase in greenhouse gases on a macro level, as in the first half of the year, we are often dealing with sand and dust storms,” he added.

In December 2023, the Department of Environment (DOE) asked its subsidiaries to carry out a detailed study on climate change and its causes due to the decrease in annual precipitation, particularly this year.

Despite the Meteorological Organization’s forecasts that there would be adequate autumn rainfall, the amount of rainfall reported has been very low, IRNA reported.

Ali Salajeqeh, head of DOE, asked the Office for Marine Environment and Wetlands, the National Climate Change Research Center and the Environmental Research Institute to cooperate and investigate the causes of low rainfall this year.

Climate change

In recent years, the issue of climate change has even become one of the major political issues of the world so the United Nations and many other governments have gotten involved in this issue.

On the other hand, there has been a noticeable decrease in the amount of snowfall in the country and a change in the pattern of precipitation from snow to rain can be seen. But the total amount of rainfall has decreased as well.

MT/MG