The Hindu Business Line : `Weak monsoon' watch holds as rain lashes east

THE eastern parts of the country, especially sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim and Uttaranchal, experienced heavy rainfall on a day when the western disturbance showed signs of petering out and the western end of the monsoon trough retreated to the foothills.

East Rajasthan and coastal Karnataka were the other two regions that witnessed significant rainfall during the period, an update by the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF) said.

The centre maintained its outlook on the southwest monsoon going into a weak phase beginning Sunday next, which will expectedly bring enhanced rainfall activity over the North-Eastern States, sub-Himalayan West Bengal while being subdued over the remaining parts of the country.

Wednesday's upper air cyclonic circulation over Jharkhand and adjoining South-East Uttar Pradesh was positioned over South-East Uttar Pradesh and extended up to 0.9 km above sea level. The western disturbance, that was located over central Pakistan and the neighbourhood in the form of an upper air cyclonic circulation, has become less marked.

Meanwhile, the other upper air cyclonic circulation extending between 2.1 and 5.8 km above sea level over Gujarat and its neighbouring regions persisted. The eastern end of the axis of the monsoon trough passed through Kanpur, Gaya, Dhanbad, Balasore and southeastwards into the east-central Bay of Bengal.

In its forecast for the next five days, the NCMRWF said rainfall activity is expected to decrease in the north and the northwest with the weakening of the western disturbance and the top end of the monsoon trough moving towards the foothills. Scattered to fairly widespread rains are expected over the hilly regions during the next 24 hours, which will decrease thereafter. The rest of the areas in the region is likely to receive isolated rains during the next 3-4 days.

In the east and the northeast, fairly widespread rains are expected over East Uttar Pradesh and Bihar during the next 48 hours. The North-Eastern States and sub-Himalayan West Bengal are expected to receive fairly widespread rains during the next 3-4 days. Scattered rains are likely over the rest of the region.

In central India, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh are likely to receive scattered to fairly widespread rains during the next 2-3 days. Vidarbha may receive scattered rainfall activity during this period.

In the south, coastal Karnataka is likely to receive fairly widespread rains during the next three days. Scattered rains are expected over the rest of the region except over Tamil Nadu, where isolated rains are expected during the next 3-4 days.

Towards the west, scattered rains are expected over Konkan and Goa, Madhya Maharashtra, Gujarat and East Rajasthan during the next three days, while it will be isolated over the rest of the region.

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