Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 8 Apr: The forecast of the Uttarakhand Meteorological Centre regarding rain and snowfall in the state turned out to be true, as widespread rain swept across the state today. The department had issued an orange alert for 8 April, warning of heavy showers, and the prediction has proved accurate with rainfall continuing since last night in several districts. For 9 April, a yellow alert has already been sounded. While snowfall has been recorded in higher reaches of Garhwal hills including the Char Dham sites, moderate to heavy rainfall has been recorded in the rest of the state including in Dehradun, where it started raining late last night and continued intermittently till this afternoon.
The sudden spell of rain in April has taken residents by surprise. The locals in the hills said they had never witnessed such rain and cold during this month during past few years. From the high Himalayan reaches of Uttarkashi district to the plains of Udham Singh Nagar, showers have been reported everywhere. In Dehradun, the rainfall has broken records for April. Since early this morning, the city has been lashed by heavy showers. The unexpected chill has forced people to bring out their woollens once again even in Dehradun in the month of April.
In the higher regions, snowfall has also been recorded. Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath have all received fresh snow, intensifying the cold across the state.
In Nainital district, the unseasonal rain has caused damage to agriculture. Since late night, villages in Kaladhungi, Bailpadav, Ramnagar, Kotabagh and Pirumdara have been affected. Standing crops as well as harvested produce lying in the fields have suffered. Farmers in Kaladhungi are particularly worried as the rain coincided with the harvest season. Wheat, gram, lentil and barley crops were fully ripe and ready, while many had already been cut and stored in the fields. The sudden downpour has soaked the harvested crops, raising fears of spoilage. Waterlogging and persistent drizzle are also affecting crop quality, which could lead to financial losses.
The disappointment is visible on the faces of local farmers. Many said this year’s crop was promising and they had expected a good yield, but the untimely rain has dashed their hopes to some extent at least.
The Meteorological Department has issued a forecast until 13 April. According to the prediction, weather conditions will change slightly from tomorrow. While yellow alert has been issued for the hill districts, the plains are expected to remain dry on Thursday. On 9 April, light to moderate rain is likely at some places in Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Bageshwar and Pithoragarh districts, with very light rain in other hill districts. Areas above 3000 metres are expected to receive snowfall.
The same weather pattern is likely to continue from 10 to 13 April. The department has indicated that maximum temperatures may fall by 4 to 6 degrees Celsius in many places over the next one to two days. After three to four days, the maximum temperature is expected to rise again by 5 to 7 degrees Celsius.
