CHHATTISGARH is likely to witness an increase in rainfall activity over the next five days, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places and extremely heavy rainfall at some locations. Light to moderate rain was recorded at most places in the state during the past 24 hours, while Balrampur district received heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated locations. The seasonal rainfall remains normal, with a 3% deficit. Significant rainfall was recorded in several areas. Raghunath Nagar and Ramanujganj received 12 cm each, followed by Rajpur with 10 cm, Kusmi and Chando with 9 cm each, and Janakpur Bharatpur, Ambikapur and Bhaisma with 7 cm each. Balrampur received 6 cm, while several other places recorded 4- 5 cm of rain. The weather system behind the rainfall is a well-marked low pressure area over the northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining West Bengal-north Odisha coasts. Its associated cyclonic circulation extends up to 7.6 km above mean sea level and is expected to move west-northwestwards across north Odisha and Gangetic West Bengal during the next 24 hours.

 

The monsoon trough continues to extend from Amritsar through Muzaffarnagar, Hardoi, Gorakhpur, Patna and Bankura to the centre of the low pressure area and further towards the southeast Bay of Bengal. Another trough associated with the cyclonic circulation extends across Jharkhand and Bihar towards northwest Uttar Pradesh at an altitude of 0.9 to 1.5 km above mean sea level. For Monday, the IMD has forecast light to moderate rain at most places, with very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall and thunderstorms accompanied by lightning at isolated places. Similar weather is expected during the following two days, with heavy to very heavy rain and thunderstorms at isolated locations. In Raipur, the sky is likely to remain generally cloudy on August 31, with a few spells of rain or thundershowers. The maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to remain around 24°C and 22°C, respectively. The State recorded a maximum temperature of 28.6°C at Bilaspur, while Jagdalpur recorded the lowest minimum temperature of 21.4°C.