Cyclone Montha brings rain & chill to NE

Guwahati: Rain and cold weather linked to Cyclone Montha have brought a winter-like feel to northeastern states. Assam, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh experienced heavy to moderate rainfall in the past 24 hours, with Met officials noting a noticeable drop in daytime temperatures.

The remnants of the cyclone and the drop in maximum temperatures brought a winter-like feeling, even though winter in the post-monsoon period typically begins in Assam in November. “Due to the cloudy weather throughout the day and night over the past few days because of the cyclone, daytime temperatures dropped significantly. However, the cloud cover at night kept temperatures slightly higher than normal,” a senior official from the India Meteorological Department told TOI on Saturday.




According to the IMD, Hayuliang in Arunachal Pradesh recorded the highest rainfall at 16 cm, followed by Dhemaji in Assam (8 cm), Hawai in Arunachal Pradesh (7 cm), and Gossaigaon in Assam (6 cm) in the last 24 hours. “The rain and clouds resulting from Montha mainly affected Assam, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh,” the official added.

In the mountainous regions of the northeast, such as the popular tourist destination Tawang, winter magic returned with snowfall fascinating tourists from across the country. The strategic Bumla Pass in Tawang was covered in snow during the last two days, with the winter chill arriving a bit early this year.

Jigme Gyaltsen, a hotel owner in Tawang, is expecting a good number of tourists, noting that the snowfall has been mild and roads remain accessible. “The flow of tourists was slightly low this year. But the snowfall, which is happening a few weeks earlier compared to last year, is an encouraging sign for us. We hope more tourists will come to enjoy the beauty of winter in Tawang,” he said.

In Assam, where paddy harvesting has yet to begin in most areas, the rain and windy weather could negatively impact traditional varieties that lodge due to rain and wind. “High yielding varieties won’t lodge. For mustard and second crops, the rain will have a positive impact,” said Sanjay Kumar Chetia, director of research at Assam Agricultural University.