Skymet weather

Another day of good rain in Delhi, more showers in the offing

Delhi rainGood rain in Delhi in the last few days has made the weekend pleasant for rain starved Delhiites. Large areas of the city observed some good rain on Sunday morning as well. North and Central Delhi were the two main places where rain was the heaviest and a thick cover of cloud can be witnessed all across the city.

After a gap of almost three weeks the city had observed some good rain on Thursday following which rain in Delhi has been intermittent but heavy. Rainfall on Saturday was widespread with the Palam Observatory observing 16.6 mm of rain, Pusa 12 mm, Najafgarh 10 mm, Jafarpur 24 mm and Yamuna sports complex 16 mm.

Temperatures Drop

The soaring temperatures in Delhi – settling more than 5 degrees above normal - have also nosedived. The Palam Observatory recorded 34.4°C as the maximum temperature on Sunday, which is close to the normal average. Few days back the maximums were on a breaking spree, with the Safdarjung observatory recording 39.4°C as the maximum temperature on Tuesday, 26th August, highest maximum observed in the last two decades. For six consecutive days, till Wednesday maximums had settled 5-6 degrees above normal. This spell of rain has come as a huge relief from the menacing temperatures.

More Rain Likely

This spell of rain in Delhi is going to continue for another 4-5 days after which showers will reduce and become patchy. However, the temperatures will remain normal and partly cloudy conditions will prevail.

So far Delhi has experienced only 138 mm of rain against the monthly average of 253.4, which is short by a huge margin and explains how the weather in Delhi has been this August

Allahabad, Lucknow and Kanpur face harsh weather in August

hot weatherMonsoon this year began on a poor note across the country including Uttar Pradesh. East U.P was facing a rainfall deficit of 56% in June and 25% in the month of July. The situation hasn’t improved much as the deficit in the state presently stands at 40%. This is despite the rains that caused floods in some parts of east U.P.

The three main cities of east Uttar Pradesh – Allahabad, Lucknow and Kanpur – are situated on huge water bodies like Ganga and Gomti which also affect the day to day weather parameters of the cities to a large extent.

The normal position of the Monsoon trough passes through Allahabad due to which the trio is more prone to weather activity. They generally observe light winds, on many occasions they are absolutely calm. Under such conditions even a combination of moderate temperature and humidity can make the weather very uncomfortable.
This trio has been experiencing very poor rainfall during August, particularly during the second half of the month. Allahabad has observed 11 dry days in a row, Kanpur 15 and Lucknow 7.

Temperatures have also been on a rising spree with Allahabad recording 38.7°C as the maximum temperature on Wednesday, 27th August, which is an all-time high. The earlier record was of 37.4°C recorded on 9th August, 2009.

Similarly, Lucknow recorded 38.1°C as the maximum on 27th August, highest in last ten years. Previous highest was 37.8°C, recorded on 9th August, 2010.

Kanpur too saw the maximum settle at 38°C on 27th and 28th August, which is the second highest in last ten years.

The rainfall records in these cities in the month of August do not paint a rosy picture either. Allahabad has received 193 mm of rain against the monthly average of 279 mm. Lucknow has received 183 mm against 255 mm and least 52.5 has been in Kanpur against the average of 233 mm.

However, with the shift in the Monsoon trough and the setting in of the easterlies has resulted in some comfort in these cities. The temperatures will drop to settle in the mid thirties for a couple of days.

 

Picture courtesy:shahernama.com

West Madhya Pradesh receives better monsoon rain

MP CroppedThe geographical heart of India, Madhya Pradesh, experiences extreme climatic conditions including frequent spells of rain. The interiors of the state too experience varied weather conditions.

The display of varied weather and rain behavior can also be seen in the two meteorological sub-visions of Madhya Pradesh, namely east Madhya Pradesh and west Madhya Pradesh. Even though adjacent, the sub-divisions exhibit different rainfall pattern for the monsoon season.

While the normal seasonal rainfall for west Madhya Pradesh is 876 mm, it is estimated to be 1051 mm for east Madhya Pradesh. The reason for this is the proximity of the monsoon system to east M.P.

But even though west Madhya Pradesh experience less rain than east Madhya Pradesh, the overall performance for the southwest monsoon in the months of June, July, August and September happens to be better for western parts of Madhya Pradesh. In 2013, west Madhya Pradesh observed a 46% rain surplus and east Madhya Pradesh had 26% rain surplus, in 2012 it was 14% rain surplus and 3% rain deficit respectively. In 2011 as well, west M.P. faired with a rain surplus of 21% as against east M.P.’s rain surplus of 14 per cent.

The trend is similar for this year as well. Though the monsoon has been weak for the country and Madhya Pradesh was not behind, West M.P. performed better than the east M.P. While the cumulative rain from 1st June to 31st July was 6% deficit for west M.P. and 23% deficit for east M.P., it has been 27% deficit for east M.P. and 20% deficit for the period starting from 1st June till date.

In the next few days the situation is expected to improve for west M.P. as the share of rain showers are anticipated to be higher for western M.P. in comparison to eastern M.P.

WITH 727 MM OF RAIN SO FAR, GOA SURPASSES AUGUST AVERAGE

Monsoon in GoaIndian culture intertwines with left over Portuguese influences in the sun-soaked region of Goa. This place is full of fun and frolic all the year round, but rain has its own charm. Many Goans vouch for the fact that Goa is at its best during the monsoon, when the countryside turns lush green almost overnight. Goa at this time of the year holds the envious reputation of selling the cheapest liquor and accommodation in the country.

Monsoon in Goa

Goa is one of the rainiest pockets of Monsoon in India, even with regard to other places along the west coast.

With 900 mm of rain on an average, July is the rainiest month. August receives good showers of 591 mm and rain continues as Southwest Monsoon withdraws in September as well. Weather during this time remains pleasant with maximums in higher twenties. The weather starts heating up by mid-September and given the humidity, even 32°C seems uncomfortable.

But Goa, in the first two weeks of September will fit well into your budget and though beaches and shacks will not reverberate with life and activity, serene hedonists can travel down south to enjoy the tranquility of unspoiled sand.

The usually quiet, sandy Agonda Beach is perfect for enjoying a brisk morning walk or a late night romantic moonlit stroll. You can also visit the World Heritage classed Old Town, delve in temples, mosques, and fascinating local museums.

Rain in August

With 726.7 mm of rain this month, Goa has left the monthly average of 591 mm far behind and rain has been 18% above normal.

This could be attributed to the cyclonic circulation over the west coast which gradually shifted upwards and the present system which emerged in the Bay of Bengal and revived Monsoon in India. During break in Monsoon conditions rain reduced along the Western Ghats resulting in just 3.7 mm of rain from the 18th to 25th of August. With revival of Southwest Monsoon around the 26th rain picked in Goa and the city received 70 mm of rain. In the following days Goa received 81 mm, 101 mm and 147 mm of rain. According to the latest weather update bySkymet Meteorology Division in India, more showers are likely in the coming days.

The city's all-time highest August rain is 1721 mm, recorded in 1953. The lowest is 264 mm observed in the drought year of 2009.

Though Goa is not liberally festooned in the Monsoon season but it is definitely one of the cheapest time to visit this place. Rejuvenate your senses and energize your body with a range of holistic treatments. You can also choose to go off the beaten track, gear up with your walking boots or take a bumpy Jeep ride to one of the stunning waterfalls. Perched at the peak of the Western Ghats, Dudhsagar falls is a must visit here.

In the last couple of years, Goa has hit the sweet spot. East meets west in this modern yet antique tourist destination, filled with luxuries and great affordable food.  The anonymity of urban life is slowly sprawling into this place, yet Goa remains one of the friendliest places in India, infused with traditions of hospitality.  So, get going and pamper yourself in this heavenly land, savouring Goan delicacies along with chilled beer!

More patchy rain expected in Delhi-NCR

Delhi rainThursday came as a big relief for Delhiites in terms of rain and drop in soaring temperatures. Almost after three weeks the city observed some good rain. However, this spell of rain in Delhi was again patchy, with Central, East and South Delhi receiving the bulk of rain. Strong winds of over 50 kmph were also observed during the period.

The Palam Observatory recorded 24.6 mm of rain, Safdarjung 6.8 mm, Najafgarh 25 mm, Pusa 6 mm, Pitampura 2 mm, Noida 7 mm and Akshardham 9 mm. These records clearly explain the patchy nature of rain in Delhi.

There was a sudden development of thunder clouds in the afternoon in the respective areas which resulted in mostly localized showers without showing any significant movement.

More Rain Likely

According to Skymet Meteorology Division in India, Delhi could expect some more rain on Friday and Saturday however, it will not be widespread. The change of winds from westerlies to easterlies and the proximity of the Monsoon trough is the reason behind rain in Delhi. The trough is likely to stay closer to the city for at least a couple of days more.

Temperatures Drop

The spell of rain has pulled down the maximum temperatures in the city by more than 6 degrees. At 12.30 pm on Friday, the temperature at Palam Observatory settled at 27°C against 35°C recorded during the same time on Thursday.

August rainfall

The last spell of good rain the city observed was on 10th August, when the Safdarjung Observatory had recorded 82.2 mm of rain. Since then there hasn’t been any significant rain in the city.

The month of August observes 253.4 mm of rain on an average but Delhi has received only 127.8 mm of rain so far.

 

Picture courtesy: newslok.com

Intense Hurricane keeps USA on its toes

hurricaneEven as hurricane Cristobal moves rapidly in North Atlantic Sea, it is generating life-threatening surf and rip current conditions from central Florida to North Carolina. The Hurricane may also affect beaches of the U.S. East Coast from North Carolina to Long Island in New York. It has already caused at least seven deaths.

The hurricane's maximum sustained winds early Thursday were near 75 mph (120 kph) with no significant change in strength in the forecast over a couple of days.

Fortunately though, hurricane Cristobal is predicted to be less intense and unlikely to cross coast in comparison to the hurricanes U.S.A has witnessed in the past during August end.

Hurricanes turn deadly in August end

History has it that five deadliest hurricanes ever to cross US coast caused landfalls in the August end to early September. Out of these five, four crossed in the August end, much before the peak of hurricane intensity, which is around 10th September.

5 most deadly hurricanes to cross the USA’s coast in the past

  1. Labor Day Hurricane - Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 with a central pressure of 892 millibars had landfall in the Florida Keys, is the most intense hurricane on record to hit the United States. A combination of winds and surge had caused 408 fatalities.
  2. Hurricane Camille in 1969 left 143 people dead as this strong hurricane devastated the Mississippi Gulf Coast.  Over 100 people perished in Virginia from Camille's landfall.
  3. Hurricane Katrina is one of the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history that will take time to fade. Katrina delivered a billion-dollar blow to South Florida as a rapidly intensifying Category 1 hurricane. Katrina struck both Florida and the central Gulf Coast as a highly damaging hurricane.
  4. Andrew was a small hurricane but caused extreme winds at the southeast Florida coast. The intense winds caused catastrophic damage in southern Florida, destroying or damaging approximately 125,000 homes.
  5. Indianola caused a devastating blow in 1886. The storm hit the coast of Texas, wreaking property destruction in a number of towns, and resulting in a number of deaths.

 

Delhi-NCR receive sudden showers

Rain in DelhiAs reiterated by Skymet Meteorology Division in India, Delhi/ NCR finally received some rain on Thursday at around 2 pm. However, it was patchy again. Central, East and South Delhi were the areas where rain was observed. Showers were the heaviest in Central Delhi that include Connaught Place and the Lutyens zone. Strong winds of over 50 kmph were also observed during the period.

The national capital region of Noida and Indirapuram also experienced good rain. This spell of rain has provided some relief from the high temperatures by pulling the maximum down by more than 5 degrees. At 2 pm the Maximum at Safdarjung dropped to around 25°C.

There was a sudden development of thunder clouds in the afternoon in the respective areas which resulted in mostly localized showers without showing any significant movement.

The last spell of good rain the city observed was on 10th August, when the Safdarjung Observatory had recorded 82.2 mm of rain. Since then there hasn’t been any significant rain in the city.

The month of August observes 253.4 mm of rain on an average but Delhi has received only 120 mm of rain till the 27th.

NORTHEAST INDIA RELENTS, RAINS GO SCANTY

Northeast India is a weather sensitive pocket and is specially known for deluge on account of incessant rains. But in the recent past, the region has been observing below normal rainfall, both in pre-monsoon and Southwest Monsoon season, albeit with few exceptions.

Since Northeast India witnesses heavy downpour during the Monsoon months, these places generally have the capacity to absorb any small deficiency. Monthly average rainfall of several places even runs into four digits due to its mountainous terrain with varying heights from valleys to high hills.

Monsoon rain in Northeast India

The monsoonal rainfall pattern in Northeast is such that it rains mostly during from late evening to early morning hours. Probably it’s the only pocket of the country where one wakes up to a clear blue sky in the morning.

Southwest Monsoon made a sluggish start this year with subdued activity in the initial phase and made a very slow advancement. The onset of Monsoon phase should normally witness significant rain but this year the actual outburst of Southwest Monsoon was missing. In the last 15 days or so, Monsoon had been on a break but seems to be reviving now.

The break monsoon condition is favourable for some good rain in East and Northeast India, particularly along the foothills. Sikkim and Sub Himalayan West Bengal and Northeast generally receive good showers during such breaks. Incessant good spells of rain becomes a common phenomenon but it does rain all along Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and other sates simultaneously.

Some amount of rain is required to maintain the ecosystem of the place but such heavy showers are not productive but only add on to the misery of the people as the excess rain either flows down the slopes of Meghalaya to Bangaladesh or causes flooding in Bihar. In fact, for the first time flood situation arrived in the Brahmaputra River in the month of August.

According to latest weather update by Skymet Meteorology Division in India, as Monsoon in India seems to be reviving now, rain has shifted gear from Northeast to Southern parts of the country.

Rainfall figures in Cherrapunji, Shillong and Passighat ( in millimetres) after 10th of August:-

Cherrapunji Shillong Passighat
11th Aug

85

2

98
12th Aug

199

54

165
13th Aug

300

111

95
14th Aug

346.6

109.9

111.3
15th Aug

258

77

54
16th Aug

29

6

3
17th Aug

134

18.8

10
18th Aug

83.3

6.7

166.5
19th Aug

84

2

4
20th Aug

5

2

15
21st Aug

99

6

76
22nd Aug

118.8

52.4

179.2
23rd Aug

288.6

66.4

141.4
24th Aug

294

56

83
25th Aug

35

4

44
26th Aug

2

6.3

0
27th Aug

Nil

1.4

Nil

Cherrapunji situated in the East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya, has been receiving continuous good to very heavy showers and recorded 1824.4 mm of rain till the 20th of August, against the monthly average of 1914 mm. Cherrapunji has now surpassed the monthly average by receiving 2666.5 mm of rain so far. With 1535.9 mm of rain so far this month, Passighat in Arunachal Pradesh has also left the monthly average of 670.6 mm far behind. Similarly, for Shillong the long period average for August is 296.6 mm while the city has received 623.7 mm of rain till date.

The figures substantiate the fact that rain now relents from Northeast; Cherrapunji and Passighat remained dry in last 24 hours.

picture courtesy- chitramazza blog

Marginal drop in temperatures in North India; South India to observe rain

Hot weatherA feeble Western Disturbance across Jammu and Kashmir has given light showers of 6 mm in the state capital Srinagar, in a span of 24 hours from 8.30 am on Wednesday. Pahalgam and Gulmarg have also received 9.6 mm and 4 mm of rain respectively. This weather system has marginally pulled down the temperatures in the plains of North India as well.

Delhi, which had been witnessing record breaking temperatures for the last couple of days observed a marginal drop with the Safdarjung Observatory recording 38.2°C as the maximum temperature on Thursday. A day earlier, the maximum had settled at 39.4°C, breaking 20-year-old record. Patiala in Punjab saw a drop of about 2 degrees with maximum settling at 36.8°C. Chandigarh also recorded maximum of 37.5°C a drop of 1 degree. Hisar in Haryana breathed some sigh of relief as the maximum which recorded 40.5°C on Wednesday dropped by 2 degrees to settle at 38.5°C.

Meanwhile, temperatures the region will continue to maintain in the higher thirties.

South India

The low pressure area presently in the Bay of Bengal and adjoining Odisha and north Andhra Pradesh will be moving inland and causing fairly good amounts of rain over Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, North Interior Karnataka and parts of Maharashtra in next 24 hours. Thereafter some isolated heavy showers will be seen over Konkan and Goa including Mumbai. This is the system which is reviving Monsoon in India.

East and Northeast India

The good spell of rain in East and Northeast India has been decreasing and will become scanty now, particularly over the Northeast region. This will however, bring relief to the flood hit areas and help in quicker recovery. With rain taking a backseat the weather in the region will become very sultry and discomfort level will rise.

Sporadic rain may dampen Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in Mumbai

ganesh CroppedAs Mumbaikars gear up for the much awaited 10-day long Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, slated to begin tomorrow, light to moderate rain showers may dampen the festivities in the city tomorrow. Inclement weather may also lead to traffic snarls. Coupled with a moderate breeze throughout the day, the city can expect a maximum temperature of 30°C and minimum temperature of 24°C for tomorrow. Mumbai along with Nagpur, Nasik and Pune will witness moderate to light rain showers. According to latest weather update by Skymet Meteorology Division in India, the weekend could see some rain over Mumbai as well. Mumbai has been receiving good rain during the month of August. Interestingly, it has rained every day in August but rainfall kind of tapered off after the first week. It has received over 30 mm of rain in last three days and 392.7 mm of rain for this month so far.   The wet spell was in association with a low level cyclonic circulation over Konkan and Goa region. It has now become insignificant. The Ganesh Chaturthi festival, signifying the birth of Lord Ganesha, is set to begin from August 29 and continue until September 8, when the idol will be immersed.

Hyderabad receives double digit rainfall after a month

Rain in HyderabadHyderabad is known for its pleasant weather conditions during Monsoon due to interspersed rainfall. The maximum temperature during this time hovers around 30°C. However, this year Southwest Monsoon commenced on a distressed note in Hyderabad, with the month of July observing just 47.3 mm of rain against the monthly average of 164 mm.

The city experiences moderate rain during Monsoon with June recording 96 mm as the average rainfall, July 164 mm and August 171 mm. During September when the monsoon is retreating, the city observes an average rain of 181 mm, highest for the Monsoon season.

Prior to the onset of Monsoon, the city had observed 44 mm of rain on 3rd June after which there was no rain till the 13th of July. On the 27th, Hyderabad received 13 mm of rain and since then the city did not receive double digit rainfall.

In view of the cyclonic circulation over westcentral Bay of Bengal off Odisha and Andhra Coast, Monsoon rain in Hyderabad picked up in last 24 hours and the city received 45 mm of rain. After a good gap of 30 days, ‘the city of Nawabs’ enjoyed fairly pleasing showers on Tuesday.

From 28th of July to 26th of August, Hyderabad received just 32 mm of rain. The total amount of rainfall now stands at 70.3 mm. According to the data available with Skymet Meteorology Division in India, the lowest amount of rain observed in August in last ten years is 68.7 mm, recorded in 2004.

The remaining few days of August could see good showers. While the city could catch up with the second lowest August rains in last 10 years of 115 mm, the monthly average could be far-fetched.

Hyderabad falls under the threatening sub-division of Telangana, where rainfall has been highly deficit since the beginning of the season.

picture courtesy -  G. Ramakrishna

Low pressure in Bay to give heavy rain in parts of southern peninsula

Monsoon cloudsFor the last one week East and Northeast India along with some parts of Western Ghats and southern peninsula were observing heavy rain. The break Monsoon conditions were responsible for rain in East and Northeast India, While in other parts rainfall was due to a low level circulation shifting from Kerala to coastal Karnataka and then to Konkan and Goa.

What is break Monsoon

During break Monsoon rainfall goes missing for days from the core zone of North and Central India. Rainfall largely becomes confined to the foothills of the Himalayas extending up to Northeast India, which is why we have seen some good spells of rain in Northeast and the foothills of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in last few days.

Forecast of rain in Southern Peninsula

Revival of Monsoon generally takes place under the influence of Monsoon systems forming in the Bay of Bengal. Currently a low pressure area has formed in the westcentral Bay of Bengal and adjoining parts of south Odisha and North Andhra Pradesh. This system is going to move across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, north Karnataka and on to Konkan and Goa over a period of next 3 days.

This system has a good potential to cause widespread rain in southern peninsula with heavy in pockets. This spell of rain is going to benefit Telangana and Marathwada a great deal as both the sub-divisions are facing a rainfall deficit of over 50%.

The Monsoon system will be moving in the southern latitudes around 15°N which will keep it in the proximity of moisture resource either from the Bay of Bengal or the Arabian Sea. Such a situation enhances the rainfall prospects over the region.

 

 







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