Rainfall data Darjeeling district and Sikkim: August 2013

August 2013 saw a flurry of activity in the Bay of Bengal with a number of low pressures forming. The low pressure reported just south of Kolkata by IMetD on 19Aug2013 caused moisture bearing clouds to move towards the Darjeeling Sikkim Himalaya resulting in the "Hurricane" in Darjeeling between 22:00 hrs and 00:00 hrs that night.

Strangely, even though the bay was swamped by low pressure systems in August 2013 , the Darjeeling Sikkim Himalaya and most of the North East still remained deficient in rain. Most of the low pressures that formed traced a North Westerly path giving excessive rain to most of central India and Rajasthan (shown above). 

No fatalities were caused by landslides in August 2013

September is when the SW monsoon slowly retreats from the Indian sub-continent, nonetheless from this month onwards STH will also include rainfall data from Siliguri and a few other stations in our monthly rainfall report for those interested in the hydrology of this area.   

Rohan Rao,

Kalimpong,

Dist-Darjeeling,

Email-rohan.rao1313@gmail.com

STH Stormwatch : "Hurricane" over Darjeeling (19Aug2013) and a persistent storm near Kolkata

August 2013 has seen the development of a number of low pressure areas in the Bay of Bengal, one such low was reported by IMetD on 19Aug2013 and which has since intensified into a depression.
As per IMetD report on 20Aug2013 (evening) the depression was practically stationary south of Kolkata, leading to a nightmare scenario where densely populated regions and ill trained/prepared people living therein are exposed to incessant, heavy rain.
This weather activity in the Bay definitely impacts rainfall over Darjeeling and Sikkim Himalayas which has seen an increase in thundershower activity over this area with moisture laden clouds continuously being pushed in from the Bay - all this happening at the end of the monsoons when the soil is saturated with water.
The "hurricane" of 19Aug2013 which pummeled Darjeeling town is typical of cumulonimbus cloud activity resulting in sharp, heavy downpours with high winds. Known details are as follows :-
a) Time of Occurrence : Approx 2130-2330h IST
b) Max wind speed recorded : 30kmph
c) Rainfall : 40mm
What is dangerous in all this is that Darjeeling district in locked in fierce political turmoil with the W Bengal State and disaster management may well be the last thing on anyone's mind.

Photo Credit : Mohan Lama,
                     The Telegraph.
                     Darjeeling

Praful Rao,
Kalimpong,
Darjeeling district