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Variability and trends in low cloud cover over India during 1961-2010

Annual and seasonal variability and trends in low cloud cover over India were analyzed for the period 1961-2010. Taking all period into account, there is a general decrease in mean low cloud cover over most regions of India, but an increase in the Indo-Gangetic plains and northeast India. Long term mean low cloud cover over India has inter-annual variations with highest cloud cover (39.4%) in monsoon and lowest cloud cover (10.5%) in winter season. The annual mean low cloud cover shows significant decreasing trend of -0.45% per decade, mainly contributed by monsoon where declining rate is -1.22% per decade. Out of the total numbers of stations showing decreasing trends, 65%, 47%, 53%, 71% and 37% of the stations show significant decrease in low cloud cover for annual, winter, summer, monsoon and post monsoon respectively, with large trend magnitudes occurring in central India.