India: New monsoon low threatens flooding in eastern India this week

By Adam Douty, AccuWeather meteorologist

July 16,2017, 12:49:44PM,EDT

 

 

Another monsoon low forming in the Bay of Bengal will lead to heavy rain and potential flooding across eastern India this week.
The week after a monsoon low brought heavy rain and flooding to India's Assam state, a new monsoon low developing in the Bay of Bengal will threaten more heavy rain and flooding.
While the first of the lows will exit Gujarat early in the week, causing heavy rain to lessen, showers and thunderstorms will be on the increase across Orrisa, Chhattisgarh, eastern Maharastra and northern Andhra Pradesh.

The new monsoon low will lead to rainfall totals during the course of the week averaging 100-200 mm (4-8 inches), with local amounts to 300 mm (12 inches).
Monsoon lows such as this are essential for bringing rainfall across India during the monsoon, but they can also threaten widespread flooding. This low will be no different as flooding may develop in areas impacted by the heavy rain.
Elsewhere across a large portion of India, scattered showers and thunderstorms will develop on a daily basis. Heavy rainfall will not be as widespread in these areas, but locally 100 mm (4 inches) of rain may fall.
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During the past two weeks, flooding in northeastern India has contributed to 83 deaths, according to Reuters .
Assam was hit the hardest, with 53 lives lost in floods and landslides. Roughly 2 million people have been displaced, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda told Reuters.
The city of North Lakhimpur was inundated with more than 340 mm (13 inches) of rain early last week. The Brahmaputra River and its tributaries significantly overflowed their banks but have since started to recede.
The heavy rainfall in Assam has also flooded the Kaziranga National Park , which is home to the world’s largest one-horned rhinoceros population.
Widespread, heavy rainfall is not expected across northeastern India this week, though isolated showers and storms may still bring local downpour. Rainfall, however, should not be widespread enough to worsen ongoing flooding.