Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A study of rainfall singularities, cyclonic disturbances and sea-level pressure over Southern India

Eine Studie der Niederschlagssingularitäten, der zyklonalen Störungen und des Bodenluftdruckes über Südindien

  • Published:
Archives for meteorology, geophysics, and bioclimatology, Series A Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Bowen's meteor hypothesis on rainfall singularities was seriously critisized by some and attributed to the occurrence of local cyclones around the dates of those singularities and also to long-term variations in pressure pattern. This aspect is examined in the present study by making use of frequency distribution method, considering five day periods, and cross-spectral technique of (i) cyclonic disturbances of Bay of Bengal, (ii) the daily average values of sea-level pressure of Bay of Bengal, and (iii) the total daily values of rainfall in Tamil Nadu, South India, during October–December, 1961–1970. The study made does not support the hypothesis that the rainfall singularities observed in an earlier study [1] were influenced by the cyclonic disturbances and long-term variations in pressure pattern. Power spectral analysis of rainfall and sea-level pressure revealed a common 15-day periodicity significant at 99 per cent level. The rainfall and sea-level pressure showed maximum correlation over a 15-day period with a relative phase of 5 days, rainfall preceding sea-level pressure.

Zusammenfassung

Bowen's Hypothese eines Zusammenhanges zwischen Niederschlagssingularitäten und Meteoritenschwärmen wurde vielfach ernstlich kritisiert. Für den Zusammenhang wurden eher örtliche Zyklonen und langzeitige Veränderungen in der Luftdruckverteilung verantwortlich gemacht, die im Zeitraum dieser Singularitäten auftraten. Diese Aspekte werden hier unter Verwendung von Häufigkeitsverteilungen während fünftägiger Perioden und von Querspektrumanalysen untersucht, wobei (a) zyklonale Störungen in der Bucht von Bengalen, (b) tägliche Mittelwerte des Bodendruckes in der Bucht von Bengalen und (c) die täglichen Niederschlagssummen in Tamil Nadu, Südindien, während der Monate Oktober–Dezember 1961–1970 betrachtet wurden. Die Ergebnisse unserer Studie widersprechen der Hypothese, daß die schon früher [1] beschriebenen Nieder schlagssingularitäten entweder von zyklonalen Störungen oder von langzeitigen Luft-druckschwankungen beeinflußt werden. Spektralanalysen des Niederschlages und des Bodendruckes zeigen beide eine 15-tägige Periodizität, die im 99-Prozentbereich signifikant ist. Niederschlag und Bodendruck besaßen maximale Korrelationen während 15-tägiger Perioden, die um 5 Tage phasenverschoben waren, wobei der Niederschlag dem Bodendruck voranlief.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Reddy, R. S., Ramana Murty, Bh. V.: Singularities in Northeast Monsoon Rainfall of Tamil Nadu. Indian J. Radio and Space Physics5, 277–280 (1976).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Martyn, D. F.: Comments on a Paper by E. G. Bowen Entitled “The Influence of Meteoric Dust on Rainfall”. Aust. J. Phys.7, 358–364 (1954).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Newman, J.: Fluctuations of Long Period Accumulations of Daily Rainfall Amounts. Aust. J. Phys.7, 522–526 (1954).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Swinbank, W. C.: Comments on a Paper by E. G. Bowen Entitled “The Influence of Meteoric Dust on Rainfall”. Aust. J. Phys.7, 354–358 (1954).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Maybank, J., Qureshi, M. M.: An Alternative Explanation of Rainfall Singularities. J. Atmos. Sci.23, 13–24 (1966).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. India Meteorological Department: Tracks of Storms and Depressions in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea (1961–1970). 1972.

  7. Sikka, D. R.: Development of Tropical Cyclones in the Indian Seas as Revealed by Satellite Radiation and Television Data. Indian J. Met. Geophys.22, 317–324 (1971).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Yule, G. U., Kendall, M. G.: An Introduction to Theory of Statistics. London: Charles Griffin & Co. Ltd. 1957.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Dhar, O. N.: Meteoric Dust and Rainfall. Indian J. Met. Geophys.5, 356–357 (1954).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Srirama Rao, M., Lokanadham, B.: On the Reality of Rainfall Peaks and Their Relation to Meteor Showers. J. Atmos. Terr. Phys.26, 301–311 (1964).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. World Meteorological Organisation: Climatic Change. WMO Tech. Note No. 79, Geneva 1966.

  12. Panofsky, H. A., Brier, G. W.: Some Applications of Statistics to Meteorology. Pennsylvania 1958.

  13. Jenkins, G. M., Watts, D. G.: Spectrum Analysis and Its Applications. Cambridge: Holden-Day 1968.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Markus Bath: Spectrum Analysis in Geophysics. New York: Elsevier 1974.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Jagannathan, P., Parthasarathy, B.: Trends and Periodicities of Rainfall over India. Mon. Weath. Rev.101, 371–375 (1973).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Sutton, G.: The Weather. Suffolk: Richard Clay (The Chancer Press), Ltd., Bungan 1974.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Kisiel, C. C.: Advances in Hydroscience 5 (1969).

  18. Ahmed, M. N.: Forecast Five Days Ahead of the Development of Low Pressure Areas and Depressions/Storms over the Northern Part of the Bay of Bengal During the Southwest Monsoon. Indian J. Met. Hydrol. Geophys.29, 419–424 (1978).

    Google Scholar 

  19. Fukuda, H. T.: Heavy Rainfall over the Republic of Vietnam During the Fall Transition. Proc. of the Symposium on Tropical Meteorology, June 2–11, 1970, University of Hawaii, American Met. Soc., WMO, PE X-1.

  20. Reddy, R. S., Parasnis, S. S., Ramana Murty, Bh. V.: Geomagnetic Activity and Rainfall During the Northeast Monsoon. Indian J. Radio and Space Phys.8, 277–280 (1979).

    Google Scholar 

  21. Cadet, D.: The Importance of Moving Tropical Disturbances over the Indian Ocean During the Summer Monsoon. Indian J. Met. Hydrol. Geophys.29, 138–145 (1978).

    Google Scholar 

  22. Eliot, J.: Report on the Madras Cyclone of May 1877. Office of the Superintendent of Govt. of India Printing, Calcutta, 1–117 (1879).

  23. Mary Selvam, A., Ramachandra Murty, A. S., Vijayakumar, R., Paul, S. K., Manohar, G. K., Reddy, R. S., Mukherjee, B. K., Ramana Murty, Bh. V.: Some Thermodynamical and Microphysical Aspects of Monsoon Clouds. Proc. Indian Academy Sciences, Series-A (submitted), 1980.

  24. Chen, K. Y., Lim, C. T.: The Relationship Between Precipitation and ITCZ in Singapore. Climatological Notes22, 25–60 (1978).

    Google Scholar 

  25. Longley, R. W.: Elements of Meteorology. New York: J. Wiley & Sons Inc. 1970.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Petterssen, S.: Introduction to Meteorology. Third Edition, pp. 1–139. New York: McGraw Hill Book Co. 1969.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Burpee, R. W.: The Origin and Structure of Easterly Waves in the Lower Troposphere in North Africa. J. Atmos. Sci.29, 77–90 (1972).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Viltard, A., De Pelice, P.: Statistical Analysis of Wind Velocity in an Easterly Wave over West Africa. Mon. Weath. Rev.107, 1320–1327 (1979).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Ramdurg House, University Road, 411005, Poona, India

    R. S. Reddy & Bh. V. Ramana Murty

Authors
  1. R. S. Reddy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Bh. V. Ramana Murty
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

With 3 Figures

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Reddy, R.S., Ramana Murty, B.V. A study of rainfall singularities, cyclonic disturbances and sea-level pressure over Southern India. Arch. Met. Geoph. Biocl. A. 30, 99–109 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02258678

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02258678

Keywords

Search

Navigation