The Jolly Grant area has witnessed an unusual display of nature’s power this year. The torrential rains in January have shattered last year’s records. By Wednesday morning, a total of 41.8 mm of rainfall was recorded at Dehradun Airport, which is more than ten times the mere 4.0 mm recorded last year.
Rain lashed the area throughout Tuesday night, accompanied by thunder. Prior to this, the region had received rainfall last Friday. The heavy rains on Tuesday night caused roads, fields, and open spaces to be completely waterlogged. On Saturday morning, a total of 17.8 mm of rainfall was recorded at the airport. By Wednesday morning, the Meteorological Department had recorded a total of 24 mm of rainfall. The rainfall over these two days has broken all previous January records.
The rains have significantly benefited agriculture, horticulture, forests, and the environment. There are now good prospects for a bountiful harvest of crops such as wheat, chickpeas, peas, and lentils. Farmer Pradeep Rawat said that the rains on Friday and Tuesday have greatly benefited the Rabi crops. He added that although the rains came late, the weather has finally been kind.
The airport meteorological department recorded a maximum temperature of 20.8 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 11 degrees Celsius. Thano Ranger N.L. Dobhal said that the rains have greatly benefited the forests and the environment. He also noted a drop in temperature.
