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Greatest observed one-day point and areal rainfall of India

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Abstract

The greatest one-day rain amounts recorded at individual stations in the country during the last 41-year period from 1940 onwards were examined for all observatories as well as State rain-gauge stations in an attempt to bring out up-to-date information on the greatest recorded point rainfall for the duration of one day. Outstanding one-day point rainfall amounts recorded prior to 1940 were also examined and have been included in this note along with their date and year of occurrence by way of comparison. A generalized chart has been prepared based on the percentage ratios of the greatest one-day rainfall to the mean annual rainfall of about 300 observatory stations distributed uniformly over the entire country. On the basis of Depth-Area-Duration (DAD) analyses of the most severe rainstorms which occurred over different plain areas of the country, it has been found that the 2 July, 1941, rainstorm gave the highest areal rain depths in the country for different areas. Comparison with similar areal rain depths of the tropical USA has shown that rain depths of the July, 1941, rainstorm were higher for all areas excepting the areas of 500 sq. miles (1295 sq. km) and 1000 sq. miles (2590 sq. km).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune-5, India

    B. N. Mandal

Authors
  1. O. N. Dhar
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  2. B. N. Mandal
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Dhar, O.N., Mandal, B.N. Greatest observed one-day point and areal rainfall of India. PAGEOPH 119, 922–933 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00878960

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00878960

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