Cloudy week ahead in city, heavy rains in Saurashtra, south Gujarat

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted that the weather in the city will be cloudy next week, with likelihood of rains only on Saturday. The weather department has also warned about heavy rains in parts of south Gujarat and Saurashtra till Tuesday morning, while parts of central Gujarat and north Gujarat can receive light to moderate showers almost throughout the week.

The IMD has said that Ahmedabad city witnessed generally cloudy rain, with scattered showers on Sunday and it is most likely to remain cloudy next week. It is only on Saturday that there is a possibility of rain or thunderstorm. The city also received some relief as the maximum temperature dropped from over 41 degree Celsius on Saturday to 37.4 degree Celsius (4.5 degree Celsius higher than normal) on Sunday. The maximum temperature is also likely to remain around 37 degree during the week.

For the state, it warned of heavy to very heavy rains likely at isolated places in the districts Surat, Tapi, Navsari, Dang, Valsad and in Daman, Dadra Nagar Haveli of south Gujarat as well as in Porbandar, Rajkot, Amreli, Junagadh, Bhavnagar, Gir Somnath and in Diu in Saurasthra. Heavy rains are likely at isolated places in the districts of North Gujarat region namely Patan, Sabarkantha. It is also predicted to rain heavily in Banaskantha till Tuesday morning, and Amreli, Bhavnagar, Gir, Somnath and Diu too will receive rains.

For almost throughout the week, light to moderate rain or thundershowers are likely at a few places in all the districts of South Gujarat region and in Daman Dadra Nagar Haveli; at isolated places in the districts of North Gujarat and Saurashtra-Kutch. Dry weather is likely in the remaining districts of North Gujarat region and Saurashtra.

From this week, Saturday there were scattered rains in some parts of the state. However, crops have started drying as rains are inadequate. Almost no rains were reported in north Gujarat. "As there is canal irrigation in south and central Gujarat, farmers there are better placed unlike Saurashtra and north Gujarat," said Sagar Rabari, founder president of Gujarat Khedut Ekta Samiti.

Jayesh Patel, president of Khedut Samaj – Gujarat said that parts of south Gujarat received rains since Saturday evening. Still they are not adequate enough even in south Gujarat. Farmers have a breathing space of about five to seven days, after which they would suffer from crop loss, said Patel.

Heavy rains began in the state from Saturday evening onwards. According to the report of State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC), rains continued at many places till Sunday evening.

Accordingly, 118 of 251 talukas recorded rains. These are mostly in Saurashtra and South Gujarat. Liliya in Amreli district recorded maximum 74 mm rains followed by Visavadar (69 mm), Lathi (63 mm), Bagasra (59 mm) and Amreli (51 mm). According to SEOC, the state has received 206.87 mm rains till Sunday morning. This is 25.35% of 30-year average of 816 mm rains.

WEATHER REPORT

• 118 of 251 talukas recorded rains. These are mostly in Saurashtra and South Gujarat
   
• Heavy to very heavy rains likely at isolated places in the districts Surat, Tapi, Navsari, Dang, Valsad and in Daman, Dadra Nagar Haveli of south Gujarat as well as in Porbandar, Rajkot, Amreli, Junagadh, Bhavnagar, Gir Somnath and in Diu in Saurasthra