Pandemic year 2020 witnesses capricious weather events that leave an indelible mark
Face masks, shields, sanitisers, and social distancing were the norm in 2020. Another new normal this year, which left an indelible mark, was a series of unexpected weather events that kept the weather-watchers on their toes. Super-cyclone (Amphan) in the Bay of Bengal, rare cyclone (Nisarga) hitting Maharashtra coast at the start of the monsoon season, back to back cyclones (Nivar and Burevi) in Tamil Nadu during the Northeast monsoon season, super typhoon (Rolly) ripping through Philippines, record-breaking Atlantic hurricane season (30 hurricanes), strongest cyclone (Gati) hitting Somalia - are glimpses of ferocious weather that brand pandemic-hit 2020 as a year to be forgotten. Cyclone Nisarga making landfall over Maharashtra coast The sole silver-lining for India this year was the bumper monsoon season, which was crucial to allay distress caused by the pandemic. For an agrarian country like India, the benevolent performance of the Indian summer monsoon is the stimulus needed