Very heavy rainfall warning proved ‘damp squib’, met dept. lowers caution to heavy for next 12 hours

Ahmedabad: The warning of very heavy rainfall in Gujarat by met department during last 24 hours proved to be a ‘damp squib’ of sorts again as the maximum rainfall recorded was around five inches in Chhota Udepur taluka of the same district in Central Gujarat while only 141 talukas of 27 districts experienced light to slightly heavier than moderate rains.

The met department has now lowered its very heavy rains warning for the next 12 hours to ‘heavy’ for central, southern and northern Gujarat region. It has cited the two upper air cyclonic circulations over East Rajasthan and adjoining North West Madhya Pradesh and the one over South Gujarat as a reason for heavy rains prediction.

During the last 24 hours, Chhota Udepur saw maximum 127 mm, Olpad in Surat 90 mm, Meghraj in Aravalli 50 mm and Palanpur in Banaskantha district 47 mm or rains.
Ahmedabad city saw only 14 mm while the district received 14 mm with Daskroi having 44 mm rains. The maximum temperature of 30.9 degree Celsius in the city was almost one degree below normal while the minimum at 25.4 was normal. The humidity has come down slightly but yet high enough (77% to 92%) to cause perspiration.

Vadodara, Narmada, Valsad, Surat, Mahesana, Banaskantha districts also received average rains.

Though the rains were not up to mark with respect to the warning of very heavy downpour of the met department, yet they have brought some respite for the farmers in some of the regions. Many rivers and dams have also seen surge in water level mostly owing to flow of fresh water from their catchment areas. The average monsoon rain figure has become 28.18% with the figures of rains till this morning included.

DeshGujarat