Weather Update: Heavy Rains Lash West Bengal, Odisha, and Uttarakhand as Depression Moves Across Jharkhand and Bihar

Heavy rainfall lashed parts of West Bengal, Odisha, and Uttarakhand over a 24-hour period ending Tuesday morning, driven by a depression centered over Jharkhand and adjoining north Bengal.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the depression was located approximately 50 km east-southeast of Hazaribagh, 80 km northeast of Ranchi, 130 km south-east of Gaya, 180 km east of Daltonganj, and 200 km south-east of Dehri. The weather system is expected to track west-northwest across Jharkhand and Bihar, gradually weakening into a well-marked low-pressure area.

Before the system dissipates, it is forecast to bring heavy to very heavy rainfall across its immediate path and surrounding regions. Areas likely to be affected include parts of Assam, Meghalaya, West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, East and West Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Chhattisgarh. European agency ECMWF noted that Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, East Madhya Pradesh, and parts of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh may account for the maximum recorded rainfall over the four-day period leading up to Saturday.

The monsoon trough on Tuesday stretched from Ferozepur through Dehradun, Shahjahanpur, Varanasi, and Dehri, crossing the depression over Jharkhand and West Bengal to Digha, before dipping south-east into the north-east Bay of Bengal. Additional weather activity along the axis was supported by cyclonic circulations over north Haryana and east Uttar Pradesh.

IMD numerical weather prediction models indicate the potential formation of a fresh low-pressure area before the end of the month. This development suggests that East and North-East India will likely continue to receive incremental rainfall.

Data shows that the overall rain deficit for the country remained unchanged at 13 per cent. East and North-East India recorded a rain deficit of 27 per cent, making it the primary region with assured prospects for incremental rain for the remainder of August. Among other regions, Central India reported a deficit of 1 per cent, North-West India stood at 12 per cent, and the South Peninsula recorded a deficit of 21 per cent.

"Monsoon progression and regional rainfall distribution play a critical role in shaping supply chains, agriculture output, and logistics across various sectors in India. Businesses operating in logistics, supply chain management, and regional commerce must closely monitor meteorological updates from agencies like the IMD to proactively manage disruptions and plan operations effectively, especially in regions experiencing weather anomalies." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes