Skymet weather

Contrasting weather across the country, East India pouring

Skymet Satellite ImageThe weather across the country has been very contrasting for the last few days and the scenario is expected to prevail for another 48 hours. On one hand we are observing some very good rain, while on the other it is absolutely dry.

East and Northeast India

These two regions are the main activity centres in the country at the moment, with some heavy to very heavy rain being observed.

In a span of 24 hours from 8.30 am on Wednesday, Gorakhpur in east Uttar Pradesh has observed 64 mm of rain. Patna in Bihar recorded a whopping 178 mm of rain. Burdwan, Darjeeling and Krishnanagar in West Bengal recorded 67 mm, 48 mm and 46 mm of rain respectively. Gangtok and Namchi in Sikkim were lashed with 45 mm and 69 mm of rain respectively.

Some heavy rain was recorded in the northeastern parts also. Passighat in Arunachal Pradesh experienced 95.4 mm of rain. Cherrapunji, the wettest place on Earth recorded 300 mm of rain, Shillong 110 mm. Dhubri and Lakhimpur in Assam recorded 102 mm and 89 mm.

The Monsoon trough which is shifting close to the foothills with an embedded low level cyclonic circulation over Bihar and east Uttar Pradesh is the reason behind heavy rain in the region.

North India

North India has largely been dry, with some scattered rain being observed in the hill states, particularly Himachal Pradesh. I a span of 24 hours from 8.30 am on Wednesday Dharamsala recorded112.6 mm of rain, Sundarnagar 149.4 mm and Hamirpur 96 mm of rain.

Down in the plains there is very little or no rain due to which the temperatures have shot up. Humidity levels are also very high, further adding to the discomfort levels.

Central India

Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat have also experienced very little weather activity. Satna, and Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh recorded 21 mm and 3.2 mm of rain respectively. There were some places in Gujarat (Ahmedabad, Rajkot and Bhuj) also that observed rain but the amount was minimal.

South India

The weather in the Western Ghats has taken a backseat with most of the stations recording single digit rainfall. Honavar in Karnataka has been the only exception with 34.6 mm of rain being recorded. The interiors of southern peninsula, particularly Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have seen some activity. Remaining parts of the states have been largely dry.

According to Skymet meteorology Division in India, rain in southern peninsula will pick up around the weekend (17th August), particularly in coastal parts of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Bihar to observe good Monsoon rain for next 72 hours

droughtBihar has recently experienced two consecutive years -2012 and 2013 of below normal rain. In 2012 the country as a whole had below normal rain at 93% of the LPA (Lon Period Average), with Bihar facing a deficit of 21%. And the scenario in 2013 was even worse. While the country observed a surplus of 106% of the LPA, the state experienced a mammoth deficit of 30% during the year.

The situation has now spilled over to the current year (2014). The beginning of the Monsoon season was very bad for Bihar with rainfall deficit recording 32%. July saw some recovery but the deficit was still large at 23% against the national cumulative deficit of 10% for the month.

The deficit has been rising by 1% every two days in August and had touched 29% on 11th August. However, it has reduced marginally to settle at 28% now.

Current Weather Situation

The Monsoon trough is shifting close to the foothills with an embedded low level cyclonic circulation over Bihar and east Uttar Pradesh. It is going to result in moderate to good showers, heavy in pockets for the next 72 hours.

While this spell of rain may narrow down the deficit in the state, the increase in rain over Nepal, foothills of Bihar and catchment areas can potentially cause flood-like situation in Bihar.

Agriculture Hit Hard

Deficit rain in June and July has already caused immense loss to farmers who are highly dependent on Monsoon rain for the sowing of Paddy crop. Lack of rain at the time of sowing will affect the quality of crop. Looking at the situation many farmers decided against sowing and left their lands barren so that they do not incur any loss. In fact the total sown area is also likely to fall.

And now with some good rain in the offing, the farmers are again on the receiving end. This is the time when there is not much need of rain and any waterlogging in the fields will destroy or hamper the crops. And with flood-like situation looming large the scenario does not look any better for the farmers of Bihar.

Chennai enjoying good Monsoon rain, spell to continue

Chennai rainTamil Nadu is a rain shadow area as less rain is observed in the region during the Southwest Monsoon season. However, it was one of the very few pockets that observed a surplus of 4% in June, while the entire country was experiencing scanty or deficit rain.

Being in the rain shadow area, even a minor fluctuation in rainfall amounts either pushes up the deficit figure or pulls it down. This can easily be understood from the fact that June was surplus, while July was deficit by 25%.

As of date (from 1st June) the deficit now stands at 2% and the total amount of rainfall that the region has observed during the period is 137.9 mm against the average of 141 mm.

During the active Monsoon phase, rainfall in the region is not adequate as the Western Ghats block the flow of Monsoon air, giving all the rain to Kerala. On the contrary, we see enhanced rainfall activity along coastal Tamil Nadu during the weak Monsoon phase. This is because of the westerly winds getting weak and giving rise to sea breeze along the coast during afternoon and evening hours.

Also, during the weak and break Monsoon conditions, Monsoon systems have a tendency to appear in the lower latitudes in the Bay of Bengal off Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh coast.

Rain in Chennai

The weather in Chennai is also governed by these factors. The city has been observing rain almost every day in August, except on the 5th and the 8th. Till the 13th of August the city has experienced 97 mm of rain against the monthly average of 140 mm. And conditions are looking conducive for some good rain in a week or so.

The highest amount of rain received in the month of August in last ten years in Chennai is 368.9 mm, recorded in 2011. The lowest has been 47.1 mm, observed in 2004.

 

Picture courtesy: livechennai.com

Vigorous Monsoon to be seen over East & Northeast for next 48 hrs

Rain in South IndiaThe axis of Monsoon trough has shifted closer to the foothills, passing through Ferozepur, Ambala,   Bareilly, Gorakhpur, Bhagalpur, Malda and further eastwards to east Arunachal Pradesh. The western arm of the trough is likely to shift further northwards during next 24 hours.

A feeble low level cyclonic circulation can be seen over east Uttar Pradesh and northern parts of Bihar. In view of these two systems, Monsoon current will remain weak for major portions of the country in the coming days.

Weather in East and Northeast India

Weather activity will be mostly confined to east Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Sub Himalayan West Bengal, Meghalaya, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh for next 48 hours.

On Tuesday, pockets of Bihar received good showers with Gaya recording 72 mm and Chapra 30 mm of rain.

Weather in South India

Rain has reduced significantly over Kerala. Kochi after recording 89 mm on Monday, received just 7.2 mm in last 24 hours. Occasional good showers along the west coast cannot be ruled out. Parts of Tamil Nadu will also receive scattered rain showers for next 2 days.

Weather in North India

As the Monsoon trough shifts away from the plains of North India, west Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, west Uttar Pradesh and Delhi/NCR will remain practically dry for the next 4 to 5 days. In last 24 hours, Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh has received 46.4 mm of rain.

Monsoon remained subdued over Central India since the beginning of the month and the situation will not be any different in the coming days.

Cumulative national rain deficit has been hovering around 18% in the last few days.

Good rain expected in Hyderabad towards weekend

Monsoon rainHyderabad is known for its pleasant weather conditions during Monsoon due to interspersed rainfall. The maximum temperature during this time hovers around 30 degree Celsius.

The city also 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.

While we are almost halfway through the month of August, Monsoon rain in Hyderabad has not been good so far. 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. The total rain observed during the month of July was 47.3 mm against the monthly average of 164 mm.

August has not been any better so far. The first 12 days have seen only 13.7 mm of rain against the monthly average of 171 mm. However, this weekend we expect good rain in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, which may help in some recovery.

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.

 

South Interior Karnataka best rainfall pocket in South Peninsula

coastal rain Monsoon started on a poor note across the country in June, with rainfall deficit during the month standing at 43% and remaining at the same margin till the 12th of July. Karnataka was one among the very few divisions to experience fairly better conditions during this time.

In the first week of June South Interior Karnataka and North Interior Karnataka were observing a deficit of 35% (lower than the cumulative deficit of 43%), while Coastal Karnataka – the third sub-division – was deficit by 50%.

Thereafter South Interior Karnataka has shown a gradual and better recovery than North Interior Karnataka. By 24th July, South Interior Karnataka wiped off the entire deficit whereas North Interior Karnataka was recovering with the deficit standing at 26%. Till the end of July South Interior Karnataka had become surplus by 11% and North Interior Karnataka saw the deficit drop to 21%.

As of 11th August, South Interior Karnataka is having a surplus of 17%, while North Interior Karnataka is deficit by 24%. All the figures indicate towards an enormous recovery in South Interior Karnataka.

The South Interior Karnataka is the only sub-division in southern peninsula to observe surplus rain. Even the neighbouring sub-division of Telangana is experiencing a deficit of 50%.

Reason for recovery

Major portion of South Interior Karnataka shares its areas with Coastal Karnataka which invariably experiences good to heavy showers frequently. North Interior Karnataka is far from the coast and therefore any weather activity in the coastal region is not able to affect or reach the north interior parts.

Kota sets new records this Monsoon

Rain in KotaSouthwest Monsoon remained active over Kota as the city experienced good rainfall last week. For three consecutive days from the 6th of August, the city experienced 41 mm, 54 mm and 116 mm of rain. The city has received 255 mm of rain last week, which is more than the monthly average of 244 mm, for the month of August.

116 mm of rain, recorded on the 8th of August, was the second highest in the last 10 years. The highest 24 hours rainfall, in the last ten years, being 126.3 mm, recorded on 16th August 2004. However, the all-time high for Kota, in the month of August, has been 179.7mm which was recorded on 31st August 1978.

According to latest weather update by Skymet Meteorology Division in India, with just one-third of the month passing by, we can hope for good monsoon rains for the city subsequently.

In the month of July also, the city recorded 360.6mm of rain, the third highest in the last 10 years and way above the monthly normal. The monthly normal is 279.8mm. The highest rainfall was observed in 2004 with the count of 534.9 mm and the second highest being 419.1, was recorded in 2006. The all-time high, for the month of July, has been 462.2mm, recorded in 1978.

Where the monsoon rains still remain deficit over many parts of the country, it has brought some respite in Kota, which generally observes only 11 rainy days in August every year. Located in Eastern part of Rajasthan, it remains a low intensity pocket, although better than Western part of Rajasthan.

Kota observed only 8mm of rain in June; against the normal of 75mm. Rains picked up only after 11th July and have been pouring a great deal in August too.

picture courtesy- patrika.com

Discomfort level rises in Delhi as rain reduces

Rain in DelhiAs predicted by Skymet, Delhi observed only patchy light rain on Monday. After witnessing 82.1 mm of rain at the Safdarjung Observatory on Sunday, which is the heaviest 24 hour spell observed this season so far, rain has reduced and the situation likely to persist for this week.

Temperature in Delhi

The spell of rain on Sunday came as a huge relief as temperature came down to 32 degree Celsius. This could be attributed to the shifting of the Monsoon trough very close to Delhi/NCR, bringing passing showers on Sunday.

As the trough is now shifting northwards away from Delhi, rain has reduced. Maximum shot up to 36 degree Celsius on Monday and slight drop in humidity will not bring any relief as temperature will sustain present levels.

Patchy nature of rain

Skymet Meteorology Division in India has been reiterating about the patchy nature of rain in Delhi, which was again the case on Sunday. While Palam and Ridge recorded 49.3 mm and 52 mm of rain respectively, Noida experienced 5 mm and Indrapuram nil rain.

On Monday, only Delhi University, Faridabad and Pitampura recoded 1 mm of rain each. Noida also observed very light rain but other observatories went dry.

Forecast for the week

The nature of rain in Delhi, if at all, will be patchy and very light throughout the week.

We can also expect changes in the winds from the normal southeasterlies to northwesterlies, which may result in marginal drop in humidity levels. But the temperatures will show a rising trend due to which discomfort will prevail.

picture courtesy- latest news photos

TOP TEN RAINIEST CITIES IN INDIA ON MONDAY

Rain in DelhiDelhi observed 82 mm of rain on Sunday and found its way into the list of top ten rainiest cities in India. With 125 mm of rain, Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh was the rainiest city on Sunday. According to the latest weather update by Skymet Meteorology Division in India, rainy weather is likely in parts of East and Northeast India. West coast particularly Kerala, will also receive good showers.

Here’s a look at our list of top ten rainiest cities in India on Sunday:

Cities State Rainfall (in millimeters)
Lucknow Uttar Pradesh 125
Karwar Karnataka 101
Ajmer Rajasthan 92
Delhi Delhi 82
Passighat Arunachal Pradesh 67
Mahabaleswar Maharashtra 62
Pilani Rajasthan 60
Rajgarh Madhya Pradesh 60
Churk Uttar Pradesh 60
Varanasi Uttar Pradesh 49

WEATHER FORECAST FOR THE WEEK IN INDIA FROM 11TH AUGUST TO 17TH AUGUST

Monsoon clouds The weekly forecast brought out by Skymet last week, predicted that Central India would be the activity centre. By and large, the gone-by week panned out similar to as predicted. The country observed above normal rainfall in the first half but very less in last 3 days. Analysing the situation, last week experienced above normal rainfall.

Central India including Odisha witnessed heavy showers and got some breather after mid-week. Only Gujarat escaped showers from the system. This week commences with no well-marked system as such. However, a feeble cyclonic circulation can be seen over Bihar and adjoining Uttar Pradesh along with a trough running from Maharashtra to Kerala.

We’ll now take a look at the weather forecast for this week.

North India-  

Entire northern plains will observe patchy light rain throughout the week. The hilly states will receive scattered rain from the 2nd half of the week with some rainfall activity picking up along the foothills also. Consequently temperatures will rise marginally in the region.

East & Northeast India-

This region will be the activity centre for this week, particularly during the 2nd half, wherein Isolated pockets of Sub Himalayan West Bengal could receive heavy showers. Extensive rain activity could be observed over Bihar, Jharkhand and parts of Uttar Pradesh. This spell of rain will bring better prospects of reducing state-wise rain deficiencies.

Central India-

Southwest Monsoon will remain subdued over Central India this week, barring few parts of Odisha. The state will observe scattered rain showers during the second half of the week. Madhya Pradesh, which was the activity centre last week, will receive minimal or no rain at all.

South India-

Over the week, the west coast will continue to receive good showers and least activity is expected in rest of peninsular India.

First ten days August rainfall over the country

Monsoon rain The Monsoon season for India is from June to September and the long period average (LPA) rainfall for the country is 89 cm. The month of June sees the onset of Monsoon, while September experiences the withdrawal. July and August are the most active months of the season in terms of rain. During this time the entire country observes moderate to good rain.

According to Skymet Meteorology Division in India, rainfall figure for the entire country in the month of June is 163.5 mm, July 288.9 mm, August 261 mm and September 173 mm. These averages are worked out based on statistics of long period daily average rainfall for the respective regions. Weather intensive pockets like the Western Ghats, Northeast India and mountainous states have a high weighted average than the other pockets.

Daily normal rainfall figures for the country are higher in the months of July and August as compared to June and September. In the table below we give the data about the normal and actual rainfall for the first ten days of August.

Date Normal Rainfall Actual Rainfall
1st August 9.3 mm 9.7 mm
2nd August 9.6 mm 6.8 mm
3rd August 9.6 mm 7.2 mm
4th August 9.6 mm 11.5 mm
5th August 9 mm 16.9 mm
6th August 8.8 mm 13.1 mm
7th August 9.1 mm 10.6 mm
8th August 9 mm 5.7 mm
9th August 8.9 mm 6.4 mm
10th August 8.8 mm 6.4 mm
Total 91.7 mm 94.3 mm

The table indicates that the rain in the first ten days of August has been higher than the normal, which amounts to an excess of 2.8%. However, for the country the cumulative deficit still stands at 18%.

For the next few days there is going to be marginally less than normal rain throughout the country which may push the cumulative deficit a little higher.

Delhi receives heaviest 24 hour spell, intensity to decrease

Delhi RainAfter experiencing a dry spell for almost a week, Delhi, observed some very good rain on Sunday. In a span of 24 hours from 8.30 am on Sunday the Safdarjung Observatory recorded 82.1 mm of rain, which is the heaviest 24 hour spell observed this season so far. Earlier the heaviest spell was 56 mm, recorded on 18th July. In the month of June the heaviest spell was 26 mm.

Skymet Meteorology Division in India has been reiterating about the patchy nature of rain in Delhi, which was again the case on Sunday. While Palam and Ridge recorded 49.3 mm and 52 mm of rain respectively, Noida experienced 5 mm and Indrapuram nil rain.

Other stations to have received rain were Lodhi Road 95.5 mm, Pitampura 40 mm, Akshardham 40 mm, Ayanagar 57 mm, Faridabad 29 mm, Nazafgarh 8 mm and Hindon 6 mm. Most of the rain in Delhi- exceeding 70 mm - was observed between 11.30 am and 2.30 pm.

Reason for rain

Monsoon clouds or cumulonimbus clouds were forming over the regions without drifting much due to which some locations received heavy to very heavy rain, while others just experienced traces.

Temperatures

This spell of rain in Delhi brought down the temperatures at least by three degrees. The maximum temperature recorded on Sunday was 32.5 degrees Celsius, while on Saturday the maximum had settled at 35.4 degree Celsius. However, the humidity levels remained very high with lowest and highest recording 72% and 90% respectively.

Forecast

There are chances of some showers in the next 24 hours in the city. However the nature of rain will be patchy with decreased intensity.

We can also expect changes in the winds from the normal southeasterlies to northwesterlies, which may result in marginal drop in humidity levels. But the temperatures will show a rising trend due to which discomfort will prevail.







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