Downpour, drizzle and disparity: Lucknow faces a range of rain realities

Hindustan Times

a day ago

Saturday afternoon's showers in the state capital painted a picture of contrast wherein a nearly 45-minute downpour lashed the posh Trans-Gomti areas, Vibhuti Khand and adjoining localities of Gomti Nagar, Indira Nagar, Ansal City and Golf City to leave some stretches in knee-deep water but other pockets of the state capital only received light rain. Waterlogging in Vibhuti Khand area of Lucknow on Saturday. (Deepak Gupta/HT Photo)
As a result, the 3.2 mm rainfall reported till 5.30 pm on Saturday for the district by the Met office belied the ground reality in several city areas.
If you look at the volume of waterlogging especially in the Trans-Gomti areas like Vibhuti Khand, there is a mismatch, an official said.
As the heavy rain reduced visibility, netizens posted videos of floating empty chairs and tables at an eatery where water gushed in to submerge the floor, making it resemble a swimming pool of sorts.
Lucknow Met director Manish Ranalkar said, 'There are two more stations apart from the airport. One is on the IIIT Lucknow campus and another at Hanuman Setu. We are in the process of procuring it (the data). That will give us some idea the exact amount of rainfall the city experienced.'
An India Met department bulletin said there is the possibility of heavy to very heavy rainfall due to increased monsoon activity in the state.
There is a possibility of thunderstorms/lightning and heavy rains at some places during the next three to four days and very heavy rain at some places on August 3 and 4, said Atul Kumar Singh, senior scientist at the Lucknow Met office.
This is due to the monsoon trough shifting from its normal position to the north and passing through the state. The cyclonic circulation formed over eastern Bihar is moving towards the state.
Lucknow is also likely to receive moderate rain and heavy rain at some places on Monday and Tuesday (August 3 and 4), in view of which the temperature is likely to fall by 2 to 4°C, he said.
Overcast skies with a few spells of rain/thundershowers have been forecast for the state capital on Sunday when the maximum and minimum temperature will be around 30 and 26 degrees Celsius respectively.
'Let's not attack LMC, instead find out ways how to keep the state capital clean,' a social media user said in a reference to the civic body that celebrated a few days ago when the state capital was ranked third on the cleanliness front.
A Lucknow University Professor wrote in a WhatsApp group, 'We're supposed to be no. 3 in the country, let's not forget that! Come rains, this happens year after year!'
According to the statewide forecast, rain/thundershower is very likely at many places over West Uttar Pradesh.and at most places over East Uttar Pradesh. Heavy rain is very likely at isolated places over West U.P and heavy to very heavy rain is very likely at isolated places over East U.P.
There is a warning of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning very likely at isolated places over the state.
The monsoon trough at the mean sea level is extending through Najibabad, Shahjahanpur, Barabanki, Gorakhpur, Muzaffarpur, Purnia, Berhampur.
The state's overall rain deficit has remained 6%, according to official figures. Since July 1, the state has received 350.9 mm rainfall this monsoon against a normal of 373.1 mm. Western UP received 403.8 mm rainfall, against normal of 333.4 mm (21% excess). East UP received 313.9 mm rain against a normal of 401.4 (22% deficit).
Lucknow's rain deficit is 25%. The district has received 248.5 mm rain against the normal of 330.3 mm.