Meteorological Characteristics of the Chhota Shigri Glacier, Lahaul-Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh, Northern India

Abstract

The present meteorological study has been carried out on the Chhota Shigri glacier during the study period from 1 October 2013 to 30 September 2014 (one hydrological year). The annual mean temperature over the surface of glacier was recorded to be -6.0 °C during the study period. This study shows that the hydrological year 2013/2014 was relatively colder as compared to the hydrological years 2009/10, 2010/11 and 2012/13 in the Chhota Shigri glacier. Maximum relative humidity (RH) in the study area was reported in the summer-monsoon season, whereas minimum relative humidity was observed in the post-monsoon season. On the other hand, highest mean seasonal incoming shortwave (SWI) radiation over the surface of Chhota Shigri glacier was found in the pre-monsoon season, whereas lowest SWI radiation was observed in the winter season. The annual mean incoming longwave (LWI) radiation and outgoing longwave (LWout) radiation in the investigation area were calculated to be 227 and 293 Wm -2 , respectively and the annual mean wind speed was computed to be 4.0 ms -1 during the hydrological year 2013/14. Wind regime of the study area plays a significant role in the transportation of moisture and melting of glacier. Wind rose diagram shows that wind blew from south to south-west direction during most of the time period at the Chhota Shigri glacier.