Rains catch citizens off guard
   Date :23-Apr-2024

Rains catch citizens  
 
 
 
Staff Reporter
 
 
 
Light rains with thunderstorm once again dominated the scorching summer heat of April month on Monday as Nagpur witnessed 3 mm rainfall that reduced the maximum temperature by 8.3 degrees Celsius in last 24 hours. Nagpur, that witnessed the maximum temperature 40.6 degrees Celsius on Sunday, recorded 33.0 degrees Celsius on the very next day due to cloudy weather and rains. According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), due to a cyclonic circulation that lies over Marathwada and west Vidarbha and extends upto 1.5 km above mean sea level will cause another spell of thunderstorm, lightning, gusty winds and light to moderate rains in Vidarbha till April 27. Along with this, the trough and wind discontinuity from Vidarbha to south Tamil Nadu now runs from south Chhattisgarh to south Kerala across Vidarbha.
 
On Monday, the weather became pleasant since morning as clouds dominated the sky and around 1.30 pm heavy showers drenched parts of the city whereas some parts remained dry. As per the weather department, April 2024 is the coolest April month after 1969, as it is witnessing back-to-back spells of thunderstorm and hailstorm. It is the second consecutive year when the city has witnessed such low maximum and minimum temperatures in summer. According to meteorologists, the current weather activities are a normal phenomena that mainly take place during February and March. However, this year the activities were extended till April, due to which April became the coolest April since 1969. April is a month with consistently rising daytime temperature and falling humidity and surface pressure. Majority of times, dry, westerly or northwesterly winds cause human discomfort in the afternoon by becoming moderate to strong. Whereas, this year, whole Vidarbha region, including Nagpur, is witnessing cloudy weather along with light to moderate rains, thunderstorm, hailstorm, lightning with gusty winds (30-40 kmph) due to presence of cyclonic circulation over Central India.
 
Gondia district witnessed the highest 10 mm rainfall on Monday in Vidarbha as it recorded the lowest maximum temperature with 26.8 degrees Celsius which was the huge 13 degrees Celsius dip in just 24 hours. On Sunday, Gondia recorded 40.6 degrees Celsius and on the very next day it witnessed 26.8 degrees Celsius. Like Gondia and Nagpur, other parts like Amravati (8.4 degrees Celsius), Wardha (6.5 degrees Celsius) and Akola (5.3 degrees Celsius) also recorded a huge decrease in maximum temperature in just 24 hours. The Weather Department predicted more thunderstorm, hailstorm, light to moderate rains with lightning throughout the week in Vidarbha.
 
Thunderstorm and lightning Possible impacts and precautions
 
1. Stay away from windows and doors during thunderstorm, rain and strong winds.
2. People are advised to take shelter in pukka structures and avoid taking shelter under trees.
3. People in affected areas to remain indoors and avoid water bodies and flying projectiles.
4. People are advised to keep a watch on the weather for worsening conditions and be ready to move to safer places
accordingly.
5. Farming operations to be temporarily
suspended during occurrence of event.
6. Suspend all agricultural activities, till weather clears.
7. Keep away from all utility lines and objects that conduct electricity. (phone, power, metal fences, wind mills, etc.)
8. If no shelter is available, immediately get into the lightning crouch position.
9. Get inside a house/building and stay away from structure with tin roofs/metal sheet.
10. If in open vehicles like motorcycles, golf carts, bicycles, farm vehicles (tractors etc.), immediately get out of them as these may attract lightning.
11. Unplug all electrical equipment.
12. Stay away from anything that could conduct electricity such as radios, toasters, hairdryers and unplug any electronic equipment before the thunderstorm arrives.