Record breaking rain at world’s 2 wettest places- Cherrapunji & Mawsynram

June 17: At 1,003.6 mm, Mawsynram in Meghalaya on Friday recorded the highest all-time single-day rainfall in the month of June. It surpassed the previous highest rainfall of 945.4 mm recorded on June 7, 1966. This was stated by Guwahati-based Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC). Also, Cherrapunjee on Friday recorded the third highest rainfall of 972 mm in the month of June. The all-time highest rainfall (1,563.3 mm) was recorded on June 16, 1995 and the all-time second highest (973.8 mm) rainfall was recorded on June 5, 1956.

One of the wettest places in the world, Cherrapunji doesn’t always rain like this. 50-60 cm is normal (in Cherrapunji) once or twice every year. But 80 cm and above is certainly not usual. Till Friday, Cherrapunji has received a total of 4081.3 mm rainfall this month, Sunit Das, Scientist E at IMD’s regional centre in Guwahati, said. The spell of extreme rainfall is likely to continue for one or two days. Thereafter, the intensity will decrease, Das said.

NATURE'S FURY – #Mawsynram-wettest place in India – extreme-heavy rains with strong winds – Cherrapunji records 811.6 mm rainfall in a single day yesterday highest in last 27yrs, Mawsynram got 710.6 mm rainfall @ndtv reports @SangmaConrad @CMO_Meghalaya pic.twitter.com/kE7POM40xr

— Ratnadip Choudhury (@RatnadipC) June 16, 2022

“A trough has been persisting over the region for some days and southwesterly winds have been continuously bringing a lot of moisture from the Bay of Bengal. These winds smash against the cliffs of the Khai hills and give rainfall,” Sunit Das said.

#Cherrapunji rocks this monsoon🌧

Rsin last 5 days of June
13 : 354mm
14 : 293mm
15 : 63mm
16 : 812mm
17 : 674mm
More rains next 2-3 days

Each of these are literally the monthly rainfall of many places in #India

The amount of rainfall you wouldn't imagine, falls in Cherrapunji pic.twitter.com/lT2mvwhexv

— Viraj Kotian (@kotian_viraj) June 16, 2022

These two outstanding rainfall records this year, took place as a result of isolated heavy rain spells in the State. Heavy showers also took place in neighbouring States of Assam, sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim as well as Arunachal Pradesh. According to the RMC, higher rainfall at Mawsynram than at Cherrapunjee can be attributed to the fact that the former has a higher elevation and is located on the crest of a hill range on the edge of narrow valley opening towards the south.