Rainfall data Sep2010

The rainfall data of Sep2010 is placed above.

Kurseong again leads with more than normal rainfall, whereas both Kalimpong and Darjeeling have a deficiency in rainfall.
Half the month was dry in Kurseong and Darjeeling whereas in Kalimpong it only rained (equal or more than 5mm) for 9days!
Darjeeling district has remained largely unscathed by landslides this month with no death reported.
I wonder whether this is a trend we are seeing since IMetD records show that in Sep2009 (-37%) and Sep2008 (-31%) we had a deficient rainfall in Darjeeling district.
Of course,  it was a different matter in Sep2007 when we had a whopping 71% excess in rainfall with massive destruction all over Sikkim and Darjeeling and that was when STH was born. For those interested the first landslide report by STH is here


Praful Rao

Keeping tab on the rainfall

For several days now India Meteorological Department (Kolkata) has the following warning on this website

"Heavy to very heavy rain may occur at a few places over Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Coochbehar districts of Sub-Himalayan West Bengal during next 24 hours. Heavy rain may also occur at isolated places over Bihar, Sikkim and remaining districts of Sub-Himalayan West Bengal during next 24 hours."

The cloud picture from Satellite Kalpana-1 of today is shown and the rainfall figure of three towns are :-

1. Kalimpong (10Sep2010) - 51mm      11Sep2010 (upto 9AM) - 18mm
(At Kalimpong the rainfall has more or less stopped)

2. Kurseong (10Sep2010) - 65mm        11 Sep2010 (upto 9AM) -16mm
(It is continuing to rain heavily at Kurseong)

3. Darjeeling (10Sep2010) - 10mm       11Sep2010 (upto 9AM) - 20mm

(Whereas there was hardly any rainfall yesterday, it is raining now at Darjeeling)

Posted at 1000hrs on 11Sep2010.

Praful Rao