Whoever could have imagined a wet Dhanteras and fervent attempts to dry damp crackers at many homes on Diwali?
Diwali was a sunny day and clear night. But if Met records are anything to go by, October 2019 is the wettest in a few years , thanks to frequent cyclonic circulations and two low pressures that led to heavy rain well after the monsoon’s exit.
Met data revealed that Jharkhand as a whole recorded an average rainfall of 115mm this year, whch is a record of sorts in last five years at least.
Just for the sake of perspective, in October 2018, the state had notched up rainfall of 27mm. In October 2017, Jharkhand recorded an average rainfall of 72mm. In October 2016, it was a meagre 15.4mm. In October 2015, Jharkhand had clocked 44.2mm of rain.
Statistics further revealed that Jamshedpur in East Singhbhum district has topped the rain chart in October with 298.2mm so far.
Capital Ranchi, which recorded 207mm of rain in October, is a distant second.Pakur and Giridih have come a joint third, both clocking nearly 200mm. Chaibasa in West Singhbhum recorded 158.7mm in October while Bokaro, with 147mm, came fifth on the rain-o-meter.
Director of IMD’s Ranchi Met Centre S.D. Kotal said: “The shower show continued even after the exit of monsoon around mid-October. Two strong systems, both originating from the Bay of Bengal, resulted in widespread and heavy rain over Jharkhand last week. Now, we do not see any possibility of rain in the next three to four days.”
What’s next? According to the Met office director, fog and mist will prevail at mornings and nights for the next five days. Kotal added that night readings were expected to drop as the wind pattern gradually turned northwesterly.
A weather analyst at the IMD’s Patna Met Centre said that the recent rains and the low pressure system had left behind much moisture into the atmosphere resulting in clouds at some pockets of the state. “But, in Monday’s air chart analysis and satellite study, we do not see any significant systems that might impact Jharkhand’s weather in the next 72 hours or so,” said the climate analyst, adding that recent rains proved a boon for rabi crops.
