Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Deficient rainfall, monsoon progress and formation of the first LOPAR of 2014 in the Bay of Bengal


The Darjeeling - Sikkim Himalaya is running anywhere from 56% deficient during the winter of 2013 to 31% deficient in Mar-May2014 (see top map) in rainfall. This has resulted in the maize crop being stunted and dwarfed in many parts of rural Kalimpong, a severe adverse effect in the tea industry and  a critical shortage in potable water in all the urban centres of the district.
In this background, the formation of 'a low pressure area over east central Bay of Bengal and its neighbourhood, an associated cyclonic circulation extending upto mean troposphere' (see above) maybe a welcome sign of rain in the days ahead.

Praful Rao
Kalimpong,
Dist Darjeeling

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