What is a cloud burst?
Karachi: Heavy rains in Islamabad are being interpreted as cloud bursts. But people want to know what cloudburst is.
What would Cloud Burst be?
According to a statement issued by the Pakistan Meteorological Department, cloud bursts are also called rain gush and rain gust. If there is a short interval of heavy rain in a small area, it is called cloud burst. For this, it is necessary to record at least 200 mm of rain in an hour in a specific area, but today no area of Islamabad has recorded more than 121 mm of rain in one or two hours. Cloud bursts also generate unusual lightning and thunderstorms. That’s why today’s event is not a cloud burst.
On the other hand, according to the Encyclopیاdia Britannica, cloudbursts are localized events that occur for short periods of time and cause thunderstorms and intense electrical activity. It usually raises the air below the clouds and prevents water droplets from falling for a while. Now as the air pressure decreases, a large amount of water falls from the cloud and the water in the clouds flows as if the bucket has been overturned.
Also keep in mind that most cloudbursts occur in mountainous areas. When large amounts of water fall down, flooding occurs and its flow can cause great damage to populations and crops. According to the Meteorological Department, if an area receives 200 mm of rain in an hour, it can be called cloudburst.
Today, the E-11 area of Islamabad was hit by heavy rains and people there have described the torrential rains as cloudbursts, but according to the Meteorological Department, no cloudburst has occurred in Islamabad.
The Meteorological Department said in a statement that on Wednesday, July 28, 2021, between 4.30 am and 7.30 am, 123 mm in Syedpur, 101 mm in Golra, 19 mm in Bokra and 29 mm in Shamsabad. And 15 mm of rain has been recorded in Chaklala.
Talking to Express, Sardar Sarfraz, Chief Meteorologist, Karachi Meteorological Department, said that today’s rain was forecast for May 26 by the Meteorological Department. However, Sardar Sarfraz said that at present, the monsoon rains have received more than 3% of the forecast, which is a normal occurrence.
However, he said that Pakistan is currently one of the top countries in the world in terms of climate change and two phenomena are prominent here. Is. He said that some meteorological stations in Pakistan are even older than Sosal from which the data obtained shows that the average temperature in the country is increasing.
