Jamshedpur : The rain god is at his generous best. A state that reeled under two consecutive years of drought received a bounty of 35mm average rainfall on a single day, floating hopes of a prosperous agricultural season after a long time. The low-pressure area, which was hovering over the Bay, has intensified further.
An associated storm is also brewing over Jharkhand and its neighbourhood, 1.5km above the sea level. The two favourable weather systems will result in widespread rain over Jharkhand in the next two days.
Heavy showers lashed several parts of Jharkhand in the past 24 hours, courtesy a stagnant and deep depression over Gangetic Bengal and Bangladesh.
Statistics revealed all the 24 districts experienced medium to heavy rainfall since yesterday. Hiranpur in Pakur district received a record rainfall of 205mm, followed by Bermo in Bokaro, which experienced 70mm.
Weathermen revealed that Chas (Bokaro) received 50.4 mm, Nawadih (Bokaro) 38.4mm and Dumri (Giridih) 38.4mm. Topchanchi in Dhanbad too recorded 38.4mm while Peterwar in Bokaro received 31.8mm.
The local meteorological office in Jamshedpur registered 44.1mm while capital Ranchi recorded 25.6mm. Heat chamber Daltonganj received 12mm.
�The downpour is the result of a deep depression, which lay centered 80km north-east of Calcutta. However, it is expected to weaken in a day since it has hit land,� said Animesh Chanda, the director of Patna Meteorological Office.
In its forecast, the Patna Met office predicted widespread showers across Jharkhand in the next 24 hours. It also extended torrential rain warning at a few places.
Weathermen said the rainfall in June had touched 130mm in Jamshedpur and 90mm in Ranchi. Last year, both cities had received less than 25mm of rain in this month.
Besides raising hopes of a good crop season, the widespread rainfall has also tamed the mercury.
Both maximum and minimum readings have nosedived. Jamshedpur today recorded a day temperature of 28.4�C against yesterday�s 30.5�C. The reading is eight degrees below normal. Ranchi, on the other hand, recorded 28.2�C against yesterday�s 29.5�C. Relative humidity, however, reached as high as 95 per cent in the morning.
Weather analysts said that the monsoon would remain active in Jharkhand unlike last year, when it had become dormant soon after arrival.
Several parts of Jharkhand, including Jamshedpur, Koderma, Hazaribagh
and Deoghar, soaked in showers today. The local weather office in the
steel city registered around 10mm.
Weather experts said the current spell was good for kharif crops. �For good yield, 6-7 heavy spells of rain in July is required. The state has already witnessed four this month. Another couple of good spells is expected to be triggered by the cyclonic circulation,� said T.N. Jha, a weather expert.
Last year, the rain meter was more upbeat. Jamshedpur had recorded 621.5mm (between June and July 17) against this year�s 399mm. Ranchi has witnessed around 315mm compared to 575mm last year.