The desert state of Rajasthan in May recorded its maximum rainfall in the past 100 years, breaking many records.
Total rainfall of 62.4 mm has been observed against the normal rainfall of 13.6 mm in the state in May, which is the highest in more than 100 years, IMD said. Rajasthan received its highest-ever rainfall of 71.9 mm in May 1917.
To put it in a historical perspective, this is the maximum monthly rainfall in Rajasthan since World War-I. The last time the sky opened to such an extent in Rajasthan was when Mahatma Gandhi was to begin his Satyagraha at Champaran.
The total rainfall received in the month was 358 per cent excess of its average rainfall of just over 13 mm. In east Rajasthan, it was 328% excess while in west Rajasthan it was 381% more.
The weathermen attributed such bountiful rain to almost back-to-back western disturbances — storms that originate in the Mediterranean and travel across Asia — bringing copious rain. There were eight WDs in May.
While the first few WDs impacted the western Himalayas, the consequences of those that came in the second half of May were felt more in central and western India. “Western disturbances with deep troughs along with lots of moisture supplement from the Arabian Sea brought such heavy rains to Rajasthan. We saw thunderstorm activities in northwest India too,” D S Pai, a senior IMD scientist told DH, noting that such conditions might prevail for the next one-two days.
A record rainfall of 72.8 mm in a day was observed on May 29 at Bikaner. The previous highest-ever rainfall in Bikaner was 63.1 mm in 1999. All 33 districts received large excess rainfall (departure from the average is 60% and more) in May 2023.
(Published 31 May 2023, 18:51 IST)
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