In the Indian Subcontinent, it generally occurs when a monsoon cloud drifts northwards, from the Bay of Bengal or the Arabian Sea across the plains than on to the Himalaya that sometimes brings 75 millimetres of rain per hour. Hence, we can say the cloudburst is a natural phenomenon, but occur quite unexpectedly, very abruptly, and rather drenching. Rain over 100mm per hour is categorised as a cloudburst. A report in the Down to Earth said a cloudburst is different from rain only in the amount of rainfall recorded. Rain is condensed water falling from a cloud while cloudburst is a sudden heavy rainstorm. How is cloudburst different from rainfall? The rain fails to fall down in a steady shower, which causes excessive condensation in the clouds as new drops form and old drops are pushed back into it by the updraft. Meteorologists say the rain from a cloudburst is usually of the shower type with a fall rate equal to or greater than 100 mm (4.94 inches) per hour.Īdvantages and Disadvantages of interlinking Rivers in IndiaĬloudburst is basically a rainstorm and occurs mostly in the desert and mountainous regions, and in interior regions of continental landmasses due to the warm air current from the ground or below the clouds rushes up and carries the falling raindrops up with it. It is an extreme amount of precipitation in a short period of time to a small geographical area. Here, we are giving a detailed explanation of cloudbursts, how such clouds form and what causes the clouds to burst and release all the water at once for general awareness.

Cloudburst irrigation