Goa records heaviest Oct rainfall so far,statewide average 86% above normal

Panaji: Goa witnessed its heaviest spell of Oct rainfall so far this year on Monday, with the state recording 80.7mm in just 24 hours—a surge compared to the day’s normal of 3.2mm, according to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The rainfall was recorded during the 24-hour period ending at 8.30am on Oct 27.The heaviest showers were concentrated in the coastal belt, with Dabolim recording 131mm, closely followed by Mormugao at 130.2mm and Panaji at 107mm. Pernem received 102.2mm, while Old Goa (Ela) logged 89mm, Canacona 85.2mm, Mapusa 84.2mm, and Dharbandora 82.6mm. All these figures fall under the IMD’s ‘very heavy rainfall’ category (64.5mm to 115.5mm in 24 hours).

The lowest rainfall during this spell was reported from Margao, which received 42mm.According to meteorologist and retired chief scientist at the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) Goa, M R Ramesh Kumar, “After Goa received very high rainfall over the past 24 hours, with two rain gauge stations recording more than 130mm in a single day, it pushed the statewide average rainfall for Oct to 296.7mm, which is 86% above normal—up sharply from 36% just a day earlier.”

The sudden spike indicates that the state’s rainfall anomaly jumped by 50 percentage points within a single day, reflecting the exceptional intensity of the downpour.“In Oct, climatologically, we receive very less rainfall compared to monsoons. With heavy rainfall events occurring at this time, the average is automatically escalated. The statewide average rainfall for Oct, as a result, now stands at 86% above normal,” said IMD director, Nahush Kulkarni.Meteorologists attribute the unusual weather activity to a surge in post-monsoon moisture inflow from the Arabian Sea, coupled with local convective developments over the Konkan-Goa region. The heavy rainfall has also brought down daytime temperatures across Goa. Panaji recorded a maximum temperature of 29°C, which is 3.7°C below normal, while Mormugao registered 27.8°C, 4.8°C below normal.The IMD has issued a yellow alert for the state until Oct 29, warning of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and wind speeds ranging from 30-40kmph.