Nothing abnormal in NE weather pattern

GUWAHATI, March 28: A marked departure from the normal rainfall rate is what has made the weather seemingly warmer during this spring in the Northeastern region which is known for its soothing climate. However, the weatherman here views it as nothing abnormal. "It comes within the range of normal year to year variation," he says. According to Meteorological Office (Met) sources here, till date in the current month, rainfall activity and cloud coverage was found to be much below the normal over the Northeast. The rainfall distribution in different Met sub-divisions are - actual 32.4mm against the normal of 81.1 mm in Arunachal Pradesh (departure from the normal being minus 60 per cent), actual 8.5 mm against the normal of 62.4 mm in Assam and Meghalaya (departure being minus 86 per cent) and the actual of 10.8 mm against the normal of 62.1 mm in Nagaland-Manipur-Mizoram-Tripura (departure being minus 83 per cent). As a result, the sources said, the daily maximum temperature was generally higher than the normal in the region due to more incoming solar radiation and the minimum temperatures were in the lower side of the normal because of more radiation cooling. Guwahati recorded the highest maximum temperature of 340C during the current month on March 17. It was 40C above the normal. The maximum temperature was 30C above the normal in the city on March 15, 16, 18 and 19. Dibrugarh recorded the highest maximum temperature of 310C on March 10, 11, 13, 14 and 15. It was 50C above the normal on March 10 and 40C above the normal on the rest four days. Tezpur recorded 330C on March 14, 15, 18 and 19. It was 40C above normal. Tezpur recorded 320C on March 13, 16, 17, 22 and 25 and it was 30C above normal on those days. For the rest of the days the departure from normal was less. This comes within range of normal year to year variation, said the sources. There were reports of thundersquall at Pathsala on March 22 and at Golaghat and Aizwal on March 27, they said. There were reports of hailstorm at Guwahati and North Lakhimpur on March 24, while in the Barak Valley, Matizuri reported a rainfall of 89.4 mm and Karimganj a rainfall of 69.0 mm on March 27 and 23 respectively. Reports of isolated light rain were also received from other States on various days. Commenting on the likelihood of rain or thundershowers over the region, the sources said that conditions are favourable for their occurrence in the coming few days. A system is seen developing over Rajasthan and its adjoining areas which may prove to be favourable for the Northeast, the sources said. Decadal extreme maximum temperature in March in Guwahati city is recorded by the Met office here as 37.20C on March 15, 1954, 37.40C on March 30, 1966, 38.60C on March 27, 1979, 37.40C on March 30, 1986 and 36.80C on March 31, 1992 and the normal of the maximum temperature for the city has been worked out by the Met office here as 280C on March 1 and 310C on March 31. The Met office here has also worked out the normal of maximum temperature for Dibrugarh in the month of March as 250C on March 1 and 280C on March 31 while the normal of the maximum temperature for Tezpur are 270C on March 1 and 300C on March 31.