Three Jharkhand cities record decade’s lowest number of rainy days in March

Blame it on global warming or change in the weather pattern, the number of rainy days in March has perceptibly declined in three Jharkhand cities in the past decade.

An analysis of the rainfall received in three cities—Ranchi, Jamshedpur and Daltonganj—suggest that these places have recorded the decade’s lowest number of rainy days in March this year.

As per the data provided by the weather department, Ranchi recorded only two rainy days in March this year, while Jamshedpur and Daltonganj have registered just one rainy day each during the entire month, which is the lowest since 2013.

Jharkhand has three IMD observatories at Ranchi, Jamshedpur and Daltonganj.

S C Mandal, a scientist at Ranchi’s Met Centre, said that the observatory at Ranchi generally covers the central part of Jharkhand, while Jamshedpur and Daltonganj observatories cover the southern and north-west parts of the state respectively.

“We also have temporary observatories at Bokaro and Chaibasa,” he said.

Ranchi had registered five rainy days in 2021, 13 days in 2020, seven in 2019, three in 2018, five in 2017, 11 in 2016, six in 2015, five in 2014 and seven in 2013, according to the data for the month of March, provided by Ranchi’s Meteorological Centre.

Similarly, Jamshedpur recorded four rainy days in 2021, nine in 2020, five in 2019, four in 2018, five in 2017, four in 2016, six in 2015, seven in 2014 and five in 2013. Daltonganj also showed a similar trend.

Mandal told PTI, “Negligible moisture incursion from the Bay of Bengal has been the major reason behind fewer rainy days in March this year. Absence of active western disturbance in the month and absence of any major system were also the causes.” He said that most of the month witnessed a flow of westerly or north-westerly dry winds in the lower level and there was hardly any flow of easterly wind.

Mandal said, “If we go to the root cause, global warming and change in weather pattern cannot be ruled out behind the number of rainy days shrinking in March.” Heatwave conditions also prevailed in the state in March this year.

Daltonganj recorded the decade’s highest temperature at 42.9 degree Celsius on March 31.

Meanwhile, the weather department on Saturday said that there will be hardly any relief from sultry weather for at least the next five days.
The department in its bulletin said, “Any major change in maximum temperature is unlikely for five days. Heatwave conditions are likely to prevail in Garhwa, Palamu, Chatra, Latehar, Giridih and Simdega till April 4.” Jharkhand’s Daltonganj simmered at 43.4 degree Celsius, which was the highest in the state in the past 24 hours. Ranchi sizzled at 38 degree Celsius, while Jamshedpur experienced 40 degree Celsius during the period.