Guwahati: The met department has forecast heavy rains and more inclement weather to continue across Northeast India this week. Despite a wet start last week, September showers are yet to compensate for the seasonal rainfall deficits across the seven states.
As the southwest monsoon retreats, new weather systems are developing above the northeastern skies. A low-pressure system near Odisha’s coast, over the Bay of Bengal and its interaction with the prevailing monsoon trough, will likely bring rains in the coming days, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
As a result, thunderstorms and lightning, accompanied by fairly widespread to widespread, light to moderate rains, have been forecast over Assam and Meghalaya from September 19-23, Arunachal Pradesh from September 20-23, and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura (NMMT) on September 19 and 20.
During this period, heavy showers (64.5 mm-115.5 mm) may also lash these states in the localised areas.
The IMD has put Assam and Meghalaya on a yellow watch (which means, ‘be updated on hazardous weather’) till September 23, Arunachal Pradesh from September 20-23, while Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura will be on the alert from September 20-21.
All northeast states have logged a rain-deficit report for the entire season, despite September starting on a rainy note.
Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura have received way less than 200 mm rainfall this month, representing over a 20 per cent shortfall.
Arunachal Pradesh fared slightly better, gathering 210 mm — a shortfall of just 8 per cent.
Seasonal statistics are, however, different. Assam and Meghalaya accumulated a 7 percent rainfall deficit with 1536 mm rainfall since June 1, while Arunachal Pradesh recorded up to 1310 mm (16 percent deficit). Meanwhile, the NMMT states performed far worse, with a 27 percent deficiency arising from the states with less than 900 mm against their normal of over 1200 mm.
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