Nor’wester triggers rain in Jamshedpur

Jamshedpur, May 21: A low-pressure trough and twin cyclonic circulations, which are pre-monsoonal weather systems, triggered the season’s sixth Nor’wester in Jamshedpur and several other parts of the state before reaching the neighbouring Bengal early this morning. 

Both the IMD offices in Patna, Ranchi and the Regional Meteorological Centre at Alipore in Kolkata confirmed that the pre-monsoonal atmospheric systems resulted in Nor’wester activity covering the two states.

” The Nor’wester which originated from the north-eastern part of the state was due to the impact of three weather systems. A trough of low pressure is stretched from north-west Rajasthan to Gangetic West Bengal across north Chhatisgarh and Jharkhand. Moreover, there are two cyclonic circulations- one over north-Chhatisgarh and the other over Sikkim and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal. The three systems intensified late last night and triggered a Nor’wester resulting in storm and rain in several parts of the state including Ranchi and Jamshedpur. The storm moving at a speed of around 40 Kmph later travelled to neighbouring Bengal resulting in thundershowers and heavy lightning,” said a senior official at the Ranchi Meteorological Centre.

A duty officer at the Regional Meteorological Centre at Alipore in Kolkata said that a few places in Bengal including Kolkata also experienced a squall with the wind speed reaching about 50 Kmph.

Tall columns of thunderclouds developed over Jamshedpur around 3 pm with lightning and thunder continuing for about an hour. This was followed by sharp showers which continued for over two hours. The local IMD observatory in Jamshedpur recorded 40.8 mm of rain ( till 8.30 am). Overcast conditions prevailed over Jamshedpur and its adjoining areas. Moderate rain of over 30 mm was also reported from adjoining Seraikela and Khunti districts. 

Ripped branches of trees fell at several places in Bistupur, Telco and also the city outskirts.  Areas serviced by Jharkhand Urja Vikas Nigam Limited ( JUVNL) in the steel city slipped into darkness after lightning and thunder.