Ranchi: The Ranchi office of the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) on Sunday issued an yellow alert for thunderstorms and lightning accompanied by gusty winds across the state from July 21 to July 26. It issued an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall in West Singhbhum, East Singhbhum, and Saraikela Kharsawan districts for July 24.The IMD, in its special weather bulletin on Sunday, predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in 12 districts for July 23 and July 24. Scientist at Ranchi IMD, Baburaj PP, said, “Light to moderate rain and thundershower accompanied by gusty wind speeding up to 30-40 kmph, most likely to occur at many places over the state till July 26 due to the presence of monsoon trough. Heavy rainfall is likely to occur at isolated places over south-western, north-eastern and south-eastern parts of the state on July 23 and 24. The maximum temperature is likely to rise by 2-3°C in the next two days. Thereafter, it will drop by 2-3 °C in the subsequent two days.”Ranchi recorded 0.8mm rainfall, Jamshedpur 8.1mm, Chaibasa 24 mm, Garhwa 16mm, Godda 5mm, and Gumla 77.5mm, the highest in the state. Ranchi recorded a maximum temperature of 30°C, 0.2°C above normal, Jamshedpur 32.8°C, 0.4°C above normal, Bokaro 31.5°C, 0.9°C above normal, Chaibasa 32.4°C, 1.3°C above normal, Daltonganj 31.6°C, 0.6°C below normal, and Baharagora 33.8°C, the highest maximum temperature in the state. Jharkhand recorded 633.2mm rainfall, against the normal of 391.8 mm, from June 1 to July 20. A total of 21 districts recorded surplus rainfall. However, Deoghar, Godda, and Pakur recorded below normal rainfall.
