Coming on the back of multiple spells of heat waves and against the forecast of mere ‘thunderstorm/lightning’ very likely over Rajasthan, at least three stations in the state received ‘heavy rainfall’ and almost a dozen-odd received ‘moderate’ rainfall for the 24 hours ending on Tuesday morning.

The India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) forecast on Monday for Rajasthan – along with several other places in the northwest Indian plains and northwest Himalayas – had simply said: “Under the influence of consecutive Western Disturbances and lower level easterlies, isolated to scattered rainfall with thunderstorm/lightning is very likely over Rajasthan.”

According to the IMD, a rainfall of 64.5 to 115.5 mm is considered as ‘heavy rain’, that of 115.6 to 204.4 mm as ‘Very Heavy Rain’, and rainfall more than 204.4 mm is ‘Extremely Heavy Rain’. ‘Light’ rainfall is when it is less than 20 mm while ‘moderate’ is for rainfall between 20-60 mm.

Similarly, when for a given area/region, when 1-25 per cent stations receive rainfall, it is termed as ‘isolated’, when 26-50 per cent stations receive rainfall, it is termed as ‘scattered’ rainfall, rainfall recorded by 51-75 per cent stations is ‘fairly widespread’ and that by 76-100 per cent is ‘widespread’ rainfall.

For the 24 hours ending at 8.30 a.m. on Monday, in east Rajasthan, Atru (district Baran) recorded 100 mm, Pratapgarh (Pratapgarh district) recorded 60 mm; Kumbhalgarh (Rajsamand) and Rajsamand (Rajsamand) 50 mm, Gogunda (Udaipur) 40 mm, Kotda (Udaipur) 40 mm, Vallabhnagar (Udaipur) 30 mm, Banswara (Banswara) 30 mm, while Galiakot (Dungarpur), Chabra (Baran), and Danpur (Banswara) recorded 20 mm rainfall each.

For the same duration, in west Rajasthan, Chotan (Barmer district) recorded 130 mm rainfall, Barmer (Barmer) recorded 80 mm, Barmer tehsil (Barmer) 70 mm, Bhopalgarh (Jodhpur) 60 mm, Bautu (Barmer) 50 mm, while Ramsar (Barmer), Shiv (Barmer), Siwana (Barmer), Pokhran (Jaisalmer), Bikaner (PBO) (Bikaner), Merta city (Nagaur) and Fatehgarh (Jaisalmer) each recorded a rainfall of 20 mm.

In Bikaner district, there was a hail storm with rain too.

Asked why the IMD forecast on Monday did not forecast the heavy rainfall, a senior IMD scientist said: “We did say ‘isolated’ and given the Western Disturbances, sometimes, heavy rainfall with thunderstorms is possible.”

Radheshyam Sharma, who heads the Meteorological Centre, Jaipur, said: “This is pre-monsoon season (therefore) there is heavy moisture. It is possible to have such heavy rains in some pockets. Only 2-3 stations out of 330 across Rajasthan recorded ‘heavy’ rainfall. Others have recorded ‘moderate’ rainfall.”

But more than the heavy rainfall, it was the strong, gusty winds that caused more trouble for the common people. “Maximum speed went up to 40-50 kmph in south Rajasthan,” Sharma said.

The IMD has predicted thunderstorms associated with lightning for eastern Rajasthan for next 3-4 days while it will subside in western Rajasthan by Wednesday.