Flood water entered houses, schools and shops located in low-lying areas of Kuttanad in coastal Alapuzha district
Heavy rains continue to lash Kerala with parts of the state receiving over 200 mm of rain in the last 24 hours and places in major cities including Kochi and Thrissur remaining waterlogged on Friday. As the southern state reels under the impact of heavy pre-monsoon rains, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) today issued an Orange alert for three districts. An Orange alert has been issued for Pathanamthitta, Kottayam and Idukki districts. A red alert indicates heavy to extremely heavy rain of over 20 cm in 24 hours, while an orange alert denotes very heavy rainfall of 11 cm to 20 cm, and a yellow alert means heavy rainfall between 6 cm and 11 cm. State Revenue Minister K Rajan, who met the media today said parts of the state received over 20 cm of rain in the last 24 hours. Kunnamangalam in Kozhikode district received 226.2 mm of rain in the last 24 hours, he added. He said while Cherthala in Alappuzha district received 215 mm rain, Kumarakom in Kottayam district and Thamara
Southwest Monsoon is very likely to advance into the South Andaman Sea, some parts of Southeast Bay of Bengal and Nicobar Islands around May 19, the IMD said
The onset of monsoon over Kerala marks the start of its four-month journey across the mainland, which culminates with the rains withdrawing from the far west corner of Rajasthan
Actual rainfall has often exceeded the weather department's estimates in recent years
Domestic firms may outperform exports in March quarter and in FY25
Western disturbances bring a dip in the mercury in some states, with rains and thunderstorms anticipated in different areas. Heatwave in Delhi set to arrive at 40 degrees Celsius
After delivering a warm 2023, El Nino conditions are set to dissipate by June this year raising hopes of "bountiful monsoon" rains this season, meteorologists have predicted. At least two global climate agencies announced last week that El Nino, the warming of the equatorial Pacific Ocean that impacts weather across the world, has started to weaken and there is a probability of La Nina conditions setting in by August. Weather scientists in India, tracking the developments closely, have said that La Nina conditions setting in by June-August could mean monsoon rains would be better this year than the last year. However, they also struck a word of caution citing the 'spring predictability barrier', considered a forecasting headache as weather models have a harder time making accurate forecasts. Madhavan Rajeevan, former secretary in the Ministry of Earth Sciences, said there is a good probability of La Nina developing by June-July. "Even if El Nino transitions into ENSO-neutral ...
The four southernmost districts of Tamil Nadu on the eastern coast of India, Tenkasi, Thoohukudi, Tirunelveli, and Kanyakumari are expected to receive "very heavy rain" on Monday, December 18
The Delhi govt has announced it would initiate cloud seeding to tackle air pollution in the national capital
Schools in five districts - Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Madurai, Theni, Dindigul - of Tamil Nadu have been declared closed due to heavy rains
The Southwest Monsoon withdrew completely from India on Thursday, four days after the normal date of October 15, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. It had started withdrawing from the country on September 25, eight days after the normal date. Typically, the Southwest Monsoon makes its onset over Kerala by June 1 and covers the entire country by July 8. It starts retreating from northwest India around September 17, withdrawing entirely by October 15. "The Southwest Monsoon has withdrawn today, October 19, from the remaining parts of the country," the IMD said in a statement. With the setting in of easterly/northeasterly winds over southern peninsular India, the Northeast Monsoon rainfall activity is likely to commence over the region in the next three days, it said. However, the initial phase of the Northeast Monsoon in general is likely to be weak, it added. India recorded "below-average" cumulative rainfall -- 820 mm compared to the long-period average (LPA) of 868.
India relies on rains to irrigate about half of its farmland, received 820 millimeters (32.3 inches) of rainfall during the June-September monsoon season, 6% less than the long-term
Oct-Dec winter rains to be normal, according to IMD
The deficit is currently the highest in North-East India (-20% of LPA on September 14), followed by South Peninsula (-10%), central India (-8%) and North-West India (-1%)
IMD expects a monsoon revival from September 2 onwards, despite El Nino still being active
While the dry spell has started to end in several areas with the return of rains, the crucial question is how vigorous the rains will be moving forward
IMD forecasts heavy rainfall in different Indian states till Wednesday. The weather office additionally anticipates thunderstorms with lightning in a few states till August 23
India is on course to receive an average of less than 180 mm (7 inches) of rainfall this month, he added, based on rains so far and expectations for the rest of the month
A cloudburst in Jadon village of Himachal Pradesh's Solan districts left seven members of a family dead, police said on Monday. Two houses were washed away in the cloudburst that took place on Sunday night and six people were rescued. The dead were identified as Harnam (38), Kamal Kishore (35), Hemlata (34), Rahul (14), Neha (12), Golu (8) and Raksha (12), Superintendent of Police, Solan, Gaurav Singh said. In another rain-related incident, several people are feared trapped in a landslide at Shiv temple in Summer Hill area of Shimla city.Rescue operations are underway. In view of the heavy rains, all schools and colleges in the state have been ordered to be shut on Monday.