Weather activity was mild over most parts of the country during the month of March. It was one of the driest March on record with just 8.9mm of monthly rainfall, 5th lowest in the last 122 years. Northeast India was the only saving grace where the activity picked up during the last week of the month amounting to surplus weekly rainfall between 24-30th March.
Northern half of the northeast region has been smashed by heavy rains yesterday, possibly season’s most intense spell. Assam Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya have been struck with heavy rains and moderate showers elsewhere.
Moderate to heavy rains spilled over to Sikkim and Sub Himalayan West Bengal as well. The chief amounts of rainfall were : Pasighat-151mm, Itanagar- 128mm, Cherrapunji- 152mm, North Lakhimpur- 86mm, Dibrugarh- 64mm and Mazbat-67mm.
Anticyclonic flow over north Bay of Bengal is fanning moist southwesterly winds over the region. There is likelihood of strong weather system forming over the Andaman Sea shortly. This will reinforce the existing features and strengthen the converging wind flow for the next one week. The sensitive weather activity is expected to lash the entire region and this could even prolong and extend till middle of April. Mountainous regions of Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya have to watch out for inclement weather conditions including landslides at few places.
