Rains pick up pace, 170mm for Quepem

Panaji: Goa recorded its heaviest rainfall since the southwest monsoon’s onset, with 66.8mm of rain over 24 hours up to 8.33am on Thursday. This marks the highest daily total since the monsoon officially began on May 26.

Quepem registered the highest rainfall with 170mm, followed by Sanguem at 135mm, and Canacona at 117.2mm.Margao also crossed the 100mm-mark, logging 104.2mm. All these areas experienced what is officially classified as ‘very heavy rain’.The maximum temperatures of Panaji and Mormugao fell by nearly two degrees, dipping to 27.4°C and 27.8°C respectively. The lowest minimum temperature of 24.2°C was recorded at Dabolim.After recording 51.1mm on May 26, the state registered 42.3mm on May 27 and 12.7mm on May 28. The jump to 66.8mm on May 29 therefore came as a surprise to weather watchers, even as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a moderate rainfall warning till June 4.However, the IMD has issued an orange alert for May 30 and June 1-2, warning of thunderstorms with wind speeds of 30-40kmph gusting to 50kmph. It has also warned of squally weather with wind speeds of 35-45kmph gusting to 55kmph along and off the South Konkan-Goa coast till May 30.