Monsoon to intensify in states reeling from rain
IMD FORECAST Heavy downpour expected in Kerala, Uttarakhand, Himachal in next 2 days
NEW DELHI: A fresh surge of the westerly winds will intensify the monsoon in Kerala, Karnataka and the ghat areas of Tamil Nadu over the next 48 hours , while a dip in pressure in the Bay of Bengal will bring extremely heavy rain to Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh over the next 24 hours, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast said on Monday.
Despite rains leading to flooding in many parts of the country, India’s monsoon deficit has gone up from 7% on August 1 to 10% on August 13. Kerala, however, has moved from normal to 20% excessive rainfall over the past week.
Over the next 24 hours, “cyclonic circulation” or swirling winds associated with the pressure dip is likely to intensify in the Bay of Bengal and will bring heavy rain to eastern and northern India till Wednesday, including over isolated areas in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, said the five-day forecast.
Rainfall in Kerala is likely to intensify over Tuesday, with most areas receiving heavy to very heavy rainfall even as 11 of the state’s 14 districts battle flooding that has killed 40 persons.
“A low pressure area is forming in Northwest Bay of Bengal, which will bring rain across north and east India. Whenever there is a low pressure system, the Southwest monsoon winds gather speed and try to reach the low pressure area. This results in the moist winds crashing into the Western ghats and forming rain clouds over western part of the country, including Kerala,” said Dr Mrityunjay Mohapatra, senior IMD scientist.
Heavy to very heavy rain is likely in Odisha and UP , the forecast said. Heavy rain in Manipur and Meghalaya is likely to bring down the large rain deficits.
The forecast of private weather forecaster Skymet concur with that of the IMD. “The low pressure system in the Bay of Bengal will increase rain in many states,” said GP Sharma, meteorology president at Skymet.
Rough to very rough sea conditions are also likely in the westcentral and south-western Arabian sea, and fishermen have been advised not to venture into these areas, said IMD.