Extremely Heavy Rains to Lash Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal
Inclement Weather Forecast Across Northeast India
GUWAHATI: As per the forecast, an intense spell of heavy rains could drench Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal and other northeastern states over the next three days.
As of Sunday morning, a cyclonic circulation lies over northeastern India and continues to attract moisture-laden southwesterly winds over the region. As a result, widespread rain with isolated heavy rain and thunderstorm are likely over northeastern states until April 7. Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh are likely to face the brunt of the inclement weather this week.
The weather.com met team has forecast heavy to extremely heavy rain over isolated places of Assam and Meghalaya on Sunday and Monday. Isolated heavy to very heavy rain is also likely over on both days. This intense spell will be followed by isolated heavy rain across all three states on Tuesday.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has also issued similar alerts over the region and has kept Assam, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh under an orange alert for Sunday and Monday. An orange alert implies ‘be prepared’ for adverse weather conditions. All three states have been kept under a ‘yellow watch’ for Tuesday, meaning ‘be updated’.
Isolated heavy rains are also likely over Sikkim on Sunday and Monday and over Nagaland and Manipur on Sunday. Thunderstorms and lightning will accompany the wet spell across all seven northeastern states over the next 2-3 days.
The wet spell has started to bring down the summer heat across the region. On Saturday, Assam’s capital Guwahati registered a maximum daytime temperature of 24.4°C — six units below the normal mercury level for this time of year.
Over the last 33 days since March 1, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya have recorded more than 140 mm of rainfall, while Assam and Manipur have registered over 60 mm. Yet, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have been witnessed around a 25% rainfall deficit compared to the average for this season. Nagaland, Mizoram and Tripura have all witnessed large deficient rainfall with up to 85% deficit, while Meghalaya alone remains 50% wetter than normal.
The lack of lower-level southwesterly or southerly wind convergence over northeast India from the Bay of Bengal in March caused subdued rainfall over these areas, says the IMD. East and northeast India also remained nearly 2°C warmer than normal, making March 2022 the warmest March in recorded history for the region since 1901.
