Tag: Geography

IMD Hyderabad Issues Orange Alert for Very Heavy Rain on September 13

IMD Hyderabad has forecast very heavy monsoon rain for Sunday, September 13. The department has also issued an orange alert. Thunderstorms and lightning are likely in several Telangana districts.

Weather observer T Balaji posted a separate outlook on X. He expected scattered thunderstorms from midnight to early morning. The list covered Medak, Siddipet, Kamareddy, Sircilla, Karimnagar, Jagtial, Nizamabad, Hanumakonda, Warangal, Rangareddy, Yadadri-Bhongir, Vikarabad, Sangareddy, Nalgonda, Adilabad, and Asifabad. Hyderabad city was included as well.

The southwest monsoon is still running below normal in the state. Telangana has received 519.1 mm of rain so far. The seasonal normal is 649.9 mm. That leaves a deficit of 20 percent.

Hanumakonda has the steepest shortfall. The district has recorded 378.2 mm against a normal of 714.1 mm. The gap stands at 47 percent. Warangal, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Jangaon, Yadadri Bhuvanagiri, Medchal-Malkajgiri, Jogulamba Gadwal, and Khammam have also logged deficits above 30 percent.

Hyderabad itself remains behind its seasonal mark. The city has received 393.8 mm. Its normal is 535.6 mm.

Saturday already brought heavy rain to parts of the state. Telangana Development Planning Society data put the highest total at 191.3 mm in Mahabubabad. In Hyderabad, Tirumalagiri recorded 35.5 mm.

Officials have asked residents to plan travel with care. Wet roads and lightning can disrupt movement. More showers may follow under the orange alert.

Deep Magnitude-6.2 Quake Hits off Northwest Jakarta; No Immediate Damage Reported

A strong earthquake struck near Java early on Saturday, 12 September. The shock began far below the surface. That depth set it apart from the shallow quakes that often wreck towns in Indonesia.

Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) timed the event at 2:53 am IST. The epicentre lay at sea, about 49 kilometres northwest of Jakarta. Depth was 376 kilometres. Germany’s GFZ put the magnitude at 6.2. There were no immediate reports of deaths or damage.

Shaking was felt across parts of Java, including Jakarta and areas of West Java. Parts of Sumatra also reported the tremor.

The depth explains the type of quake. At 376 kilometres, it is a deep-focus event. Most earthquakes break in the upper crust. Some break much deeper, inside a slab of plate that has been forced into the mantle. Indonesia sits where several plates meet. South of Java, the Indo-Australian Plate sinks beneath the Eurasian Plate. That process is subduction. Stress builds inside the descending slab. Rock then fractures or slips. Seismic waves radiate outward.

Depth also changes the danger at the surface. A shallow quake can throw sharp motion straight into nearby buildings. Waves from hundreds of kilometres down must cross a thick stack of rock first. Energy spreads over a wider area before it arrives. Deep quakes are not harmless. They often shake a broader region more evenly than a similar-size shock near the surface.

A tsunami was unlikely. Tsunamis usually need a large, sudden shove of the seafloor. An earthquake hundreds of kilometres below the seabed rarely produces that shove.

Indonesia will keep recording both shallow and deep events. This one shows the difference. Magnitude alone does not fix the risk. Depth and mechanism decide how the ground moves, and whether the sea can rise.

Gurgaon Records 71% Excess Rain While Haryana Stays Dry

Gurgaon received 55mm of rain between September 4 and September 10. That total is 71% above the city’s usual weekly average of 32.2mm. The district therefore stood apart from much of Haryana.

The week also improved the city’s monsoon tally. Since June 1, Gurgaon has recorded 467.4mm of rain. The normal seasonal figure is 452.2mm. The city is now 3% above that mark.

The rest of the state did not share the surplus. IMD data show a 45% rainfall deficit across Haryana for the same week. The state received 15.5mm against a normal of 28.2mm.

Several districts stayed almost dry. Sirsa, Jind, Hisar, Charkhi Dadri, and Bhiwani reported weekly deficits between 95% and 100%. For the full season, Haryana remains 24% below normal. Gurgaon, Nuh, and Palwal are among the few districts that have met or crossed the seasonal average.

More rain is still likely in Gurgaon. IMD has forecast light to moderate showers at isolated places from September 11 to 13. The same pattern is expected on September 14 and 15. The office has not issued a specific warning for Gurgaon.

The past week brought mixed weather. Thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds marked the first five days. Isolated heavy rain fell between September 4 and 7. Conditions then eased. The district recorded no significant rain in the 24 hours ending September 10.

IMD has warned of heavy rain at isolated places in Haryana on September 14 and 15. Gurgaon’s own forecast remains light to moderate.

August 2026 Ties Hottest Month on Record as El Niño Strengthens

August 2026 tied the hottest month ever recorded. The Copernicus Climate Change Service released that finding on Thursday. It matched July 2023 in the global temperature record.

The global average surface air temperature stood 1.65°C above the estimated pre-industrial baseline. That also made August the first month to exceed 1.5°C since November 2025. Meanwhile, a strengthening El Niño helped push the heat higher.

Sea surface temperatures also set records. Extra-polar oceans tied March 2024 for the highest monthly average. Daily extra-polar sea surface temperature also reached a new peak of 21.11°C. Copernicus linked that warmth to strong El Niño conditions in the tropical Pacific.

This update follows a World Meteorological Organization warning issued on 3 September. The WMO said El Niño is now firmly established. It also said the event will intensify into a very strong phase in the coming months. Forecasts give a near 100% chance that it will last through February 2027. As a result, rainfall and temperature patterns may shift across many regions.

Copernicus is the Earth observation programme of the European Union. The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts supports the service. Together they track global weather and climate data.

Western Europe also closed its warmest summer on record. The previous regional mark came in 2003. Heatwaves continued in August after an unusually hot stretch that began in May. Large parts of western, central, and eastern Europe stayed dry as well. France, the United Kingdom, Hungary, Romania, and Serbia reported severe drought. Major rivers ran unusually low, including the Rhine, Danube, Southern Bug, and Dnieper.

Samantha Burgess, Strategic Lead for Climate at ECMWF, called August 2026 a remarkable month in the climate record. She said the observations show climate change driving extremes in both the atmosphere and the oceans. She added that communities, economies, and ecosystems are already feeling those impacts.

On the same day, UN Climate Change executive secretary Simon Stiell spoke in Brussels. He told a European Parliament committee that climate impacts are already visible. He pointed to extreme heat, pressure on infrastructure, disrupted trade, and strain on crops and food prices. He also urged countries to work together on clean energy supply chains. He noted that the Turkish COP31 Presidency, working with Australia, has set Action Agenda targets, including a goal for electricity to meet 35% of final global energy demand by 2035.

Copernicus also said record-high Pacific sea surface temperatures are helping the El Niño event intensify. According to the service, those conditions are already affecting land. In Indonesia, they are favouring stronger seasonal wildfires.

Monsoon Slows Over South India, But Official Withdrawal Has Not Begun

The southwest monsoon has quietened over large parts of India. The rainy season now enters its final weeks. Rainfall has eased most clearly over peninsular India. That raises a simple question. Is the season ending, or will another spell of rain arrive?

It is still too early to call the monsoon over. On September 7, the India Meteorological Department said rainfall will stay subdued over peninsular India for the next seven days. However, this remains a lull. It is not the formal withdrawal. Rain continues in other regions.

Is the monsoon still active?

The slowdown stands out across southern and peninsular India. The latest IMD outlook points to limited rain there in the coming days. Elsewhere, the monsoon stays active. A low-pressure area over central Uttar Pradesh is influencing weather over parts of north and central India. The monsoon trough also remains in play. It stretches from northwest India towards the Bay of Bengal. As a result, several regions still receive rain.

There is another reason to wait. IMD’s extended-range forecast points to a fresh cyclonic circulation over the central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal. Under that influence, a low-pressure area may form in the same region. That system could increase rain over eastern and adjoining northeastern parts of peninsular India in the following week.

When could rain return?

The next spell is likely to stay uneven. It will not cover the whole country at once. IMD expects fairly widespread rain over Chhattisgarh from September 8 to 12. Vidarbha may see rain from September 10 to 12. Odisha may also receive rain during the same period. Therefore, peninsular India may stay relatively dry for now. The pattern could turn more active later as the Bay of Bengal system develops.

September rain still matters for farming. Below-normal rain this month could affect standing crops. It could also reduce soil moisture before the winter sowing season.

Has the monsoon ended?

The rainy season has not checked out of India yet. A lull does not mean official withdrawal. IMD declares withdrawal only after specific conditions appear. Those include five straight days without significant rain, an anticyclone in the lower atmosphere, and a clear drop in moisture.

In short, the monsoon is slowing. It has not left. More rain remains possible if the expected Bay of Bengal system forms as forecast. For now, the season has taken a pause. It has not quit.

IMD Forecasts Heavy Rain in UP, Uttarakhand, Bihar and the Northeast

The India Meteorological Department has warned of widespread rain across large parts of India this week. Heavy to very heavy showers may hit parts of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar and the Northeast. A low-pressure area has moved from southwest Uttar Pradesh to central Uttar Pradesh. Meanwhile, several weather systems are acting together.

Eastern Uttar Pradesh may see fairly widespread to widespread rain on 7 and 8 September. Heavy rain is likely there on 8 September. Isolated very heavy rain is also possible over eastern and western Uttar Pradesh on 7 September.

Uttarakhand may receive widespread rain on 7 September. Another wet spell is likely from 10 to 13 September. During that later period, heavy rain, thunderstorms and lightning may occur.

Rain is also likely over Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Punjab and Rajasthan through the week. However, IMD has not issued a warning for Delhi and Haryana for the next seven days.

Eastern India may stay especially wet. Bihar is likely to get widespread rain from 7 to 9 September. Isolated heavy rain may follow from 8 to 10 September. Very heavy rain is possible in Bihar on 7 September.

Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim may also see very heavy rain on 7 September. Heavy rain is then likely on 8 September and again on 11 and 12 September. In addition, Jharkhand and Odisha may get spells of heavy rain. Thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds are possible in several of these areas.

Across the Northeast, Assam and Meghalaya may receive heavy rain from 7 to 13 September. Arunachal Pradesh may see heavy rain on 8 and 9 September, and again from 11 to 13 September. Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura are also likely to get heavy spells.

Rain should continue over west Madhya Pradesh, east Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha and Chhattisgarh through the week. Heavy rainfall is possible in parts of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Konkan and Goa may see fairly widespread to widespread rain through 13 September. Meanwhile, Gujarat, Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada, and Saurashtra and Kutch may get isolated to scattered showers.

In the south, Kerala is likely to see widespread rain from 10 to 12 September. Thunderstorms and gusty winds are also possible over parts of Tamil Nadu and Telangana.

Residents in the alert zones should watch official updates. Authorities also advise caution near rivers, low-lying areas and hill slopes during heavy spells.

Motorcyclist Swept Off Flooded Crossing in Sawai Madhopur, Escapes Unhurt

A man tried to ride a motorcycle across a flooded stretch in Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan. Strong current then pulled him and the bike downstream. He got out safely. The motorcycle was carried away.

The Jhareti stream was running high. It brings water from the forests and hills of Ranthambore. Rain had fallen without a break since morning. Water therefore collected on the crossing.

Vehicles queued on both sides. Drivers waited for the flow to ease. One rider still attempted the crossing. He moved a short way through the water. Then he lost his balance. The current swept him and the motorcycle farther down the stream.

He tried to keep hold of the bike. The flow was too strong. The motorcycle disappeared into the water. After being carried some distance, the man reached the bank. He escaped without a serious injury.

The episode underlines a familiar monsoon risk. Flooded roads and seasonal streams can look shallow and still knock a rider off course. Officials have repeatedly told people not to cross waterlogged stretches when the current is strong. Waiting is safer than testing the flow.

Very Strong El Niño Builds in the Pacific as India Watches a Positive IOD

A very strong El Niño is taking shape in the Pacific Ocean. The World Meteorological Organization said so on 3 September. The agency also said the event is now firmly established. It is likely to strengthen further in the coming months.

WMO forecasts give the event a nearly 100 percent chance of lasting through February 2027. Meanwhile, exceptionally warm waters in the tropical Pacific could shift rainfall and temperature patterns worldwide. Therefore, flood, drought, and extreme heat risks may rise in many regions.

Another ocean signal could change the picture for India. A positive Indian Ocean Dipole is also expected to develop during September to November. WMO forecasts a seasonal average IOD value of about 0.9°C. However, that does not mean the Indian Ocean will cancel El Niño.

WMO uses careful language. It says El Niño and a positive IOD can reinforce, weaken, or alter typical El Niño impacts in different regions. As a result, the two patterns may interact. The exact outcome will still depend on how both systems evolve.

The distinction matters for India. The country has already seen a weaker-than-normal monsoon in 2026. September rainfall has been running below normal. Concerns have also grown for cotton, soybean, maize, and rice.

El Niño forms when sea-surface temperatures turn unusually warm across parts of the central and eastern tropical Pacific. That warming then changes atmospheric circulation. Rainfall and temperature patterns can shift far beyond the Pacific.

WMO’s 31 July assessment said El Niño was strengthening steadily. It also forecast the seasonal average sea-surface temperature anomaly to exceed 2.9°C in key monitoring regions during August to October. Later, the 3 September outlook put the expected Niño 3.4 anomaly at about 3.6°C for September to November. The event is expected to peak around November and December.

The current event already ranks among the four strongest El Niño events since 1950, according to Reuters. WMO calls it “very strong.” It expects further intensification. Still, the agency has not officially labelled it a “super El Niño.”

India’s Ministry of Earth Sciences made a similar point on 30 July. It said neither WMO nor the India Meteorological Department uses an official “Super El Niño” category. Events are generally classed as weak, moderate, strong, or very strong. The ministry also said IMD had predicted El Niño during the 2026 southwest monsoon. Conditions were weak in June. They then strengthened to moderate levels in July. El Niño may reach the very strong category during October to December.

Timing still matters. El Niño often peaks late in the year, after India’s main southwest monsoon. Even so, the risk for India does not disappear. El Niño can affect rainfall and temperatures after the monsoon as well. Effects also vary from one event to another.

WMO said a strong El Niño can shift rainfall patterns. It can also raise the risks of floods, drought, and extreme heat. The September outlook further points to above-normal temperatures across almost all land areas.

The Indian Ocean Dipole is a separate climate pattern. It measures the difference in sea-surface temperatures between the western and eastern tropical Indian Ocean. A positive IOD generally means warmer-than-normal waters in the west and cooler-than-normal waters in the east.

WMO’s 31 July update said a positive IOD was expected to develop alongside the strengthening El Niño. The 3 September forecast then put the September–November seasonal average at 0.9°C. India’s weather authorities track both signals when they assess the monsoon.

A government release on 30 April said neutral IOD conditions were present at that time. Climate models nevertheless pointed to a possible positive IOD toward the end of the southwest monsoon. Sea-surface conditions in the Pacific and Indian oceans strongly influence the Indian monsoon.

Available forecasts still do not say a positive IOD will definitely blunt El Niño over India. WMO remains cautious. The two oceanic patterns can reinforce, weaken, or alter typical impacts. IMD has also said El Niño is only one factor. Intensity and effects over India depend on wider ocean-atmosphere conditions.

Latest rainfall data explain why caution is needed. India’s September rainfall was 35 percent below normal at one reported point, according to Reuters. June rainfall had also been 35 percent below normal. August remained deficient as well. A continued shortfall could make 2026 India’s weakest monsoon in nearly two decades.

September rain matters for standing crops. It also matters for soil moisture. Farmers then prepare winter crops such as wheat, rapeseed, and chickpeas.

The developing El Niño therefore adds uncertainty to India’s weather outlook. The positive IOD means the Pacific signal cannot be viewed alone. WMO’s latest assessment includes both patterns. It also says they can interact differently across regions.

That is the strongest factual basis for the key question. Can the Indian Ocean soften El Niño’s impact? It can change how El Niño affects different regions. There is still no official forecast saying it will fully offset the Pacific event over India.

The coming months will depend on how Pacific warming and the positive IOD evolve together. WMO expects El Niño to persist through February 2027. The positive IOD is expected during September to November.

A very strong El Niño can cause significant changes in rainfall and temperature. It can also raise the risks of extreme heat, drought, and floods. The positive IOD could modify that pattern. It cannot yet be treated as a shield.

Therefore, the Indian Ocean may change how El Niño affects India. It cannot yet be counted on to protect the country. That uncertainty makes the next few months important for agriculture, water management, and weather preparedness.

West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari held an emergency meeting on Friday. The meeting reviewed flood conditions in several south Bengal districts. Heavy rain and water releases from DVC barrages in Jharkhand worsened the situation.

Adhikari said nine gram panchayat areas in Jangipara, Khanakul, and Goghat in Hooghly are worst affected. Low‑lying areas of Udaynarayanpur in Howrah are also inundated. Sonamukhi in Bankura is stable for now.

He noted rivers in Khanakul, Jangipara, and Udaynarayanpur were flowing above danger level. Rainfall has reduced and DVC is releasing less water from Maithon and Panchet dams. “The situation is under control as of now,” Adhikari said.

District administrations have been instructed to distribute ration and relief materials. Medicines and anti‑venom injections are stocked. Speed boats are on standby. Police will distribute food and fodder for livestock.

Adhikari refused to blame DVC for the floods. He said excessive rainfall naturally causes reservoirs to overflow. “This is natural,” he added, distancing himself from past political blame.

Glacier Risks Rising on Tibetan Plateau

Chinese climate officials have warned of growing instability in Tibetan Plateau glaciers. The concern follows the August 26 ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border, which triggered flash floods across towns and villages.

Over the past 60 years, glacier area on the plateau has shrunk by 24%, with around 7,000 small glaciers disappearing. Gao Rong of China’s National Climate Centre said structural stability will decline further, increasing the likelihood of more frequent disasters.

At Gyirong Port, officials reported 541 people missing, including 261 foreigners from 23 countries. The collapse created a mudslide that travelled 22 km in seven minutes, pulling in debris and water as it moved downstream.

Researchers from the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research stressed that risk assessments must consider not only the initial collapse but also how much material can be entrained along valleys. This determines the scale of hazards to people and infrastructure.

A Nature article highlighted the need for better monitoring systems. Experts said conventional tools are not enough to predict sudden glacier-rock failures. They called for regional satellite-based systems that track glacier and slope deformation, linking data directly to flood and avalanche models.

Scientists and officials agree that future assessments must adapt to the rapid changes in high-mountain environments. The Tibetan Plateau remains a critical region where glacier instability could amplify risks across borders.