Second year in a row: Mahabaleshwar gets above normal rainfall, beats Cherrapunji

This has happened mainly due to extremely heavy rain in Mahabaleshwar for the last one week, with the collective rainfall at 17,655.8 mm. In fact, the average rainfall recorded in Mahabaleshwar during the last seven days, since July 31, has been 252 mm.

This season has been one of the wettest August months for the hilly town in Satara district.

The normal rainfall from the months of June to September for Mahabaleshwar is 5,530.1 mm. It means that this year, rainfall over Mahabaleshwar will not only cross its seasonal normal within this week, but it will also enter the excess rainfall category. Last year, normal rainfall over Mahabaleshwar was realised only towards the end of August.

According to data maintained by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Pune, the normal rainfall between June and August for Mahabaleshwar is 4,958.3 mm and the hill station has so far recorded an excess rainfall of 1,881.6 mm, as on August 6. The records also show that the hill station had also recorded above normal rainfall in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2013.

“While the two hill stations stand at varying altitudes and entirely different weather systems cause rainfall over these two locations, it is worth noting that on some occasions, areas along the western ghats are as wet as Cherrapunji or similar areas in the northeast,” said an IMD official.