Wednesday, August 20, 2014

sharing the deficit... (pm.20.aug.14)>

Wednesday's stats:

Low temp: 64.5F (18.1C)
High temp: 74.8F (23.8C)
Rainfall: 0.09" ( 2mm) -- updated @ 820pm

We're wrapping up the fourth consecutive day of very weak monsoon conditions -- and it's now lasted long enough to make people start talking about an early demise of Monsoon 2014.  Although there's no indication right now of a return to a really strong and robust phase of the monsoon, there's also little chance that it's going to disappear altogether.  

Here in the immediate McLeod Ganj area (along with many other locations right along the front slopes of the Himalayas), we've seen rainfall totals this season running close to average, if not a little bit above -- compared to below average rainfall rates over the vast majority of the Indian subcontinent.  But during the past week or so, our daily rainfall rates have dropped considerably as well.

Our recent combination of morning sunshine and rapidly developing clouds and fog, along with occasional mainly light PM rain showers may morph into something a bit wetter during the latter part of this week.  I think we stand a better chance of picking up some heavier rainfall between now and Saturday night -- but still nothing really all that impressive for the latter part of August.  We still need about 15" (38cm) of rain by the end of the month to reach the historical/climatic norms... which could be quite a challenge.