Easterly wave activity and associated heavy rainfall during the pre-monsoon season of 2005

Abstract

Waves in easterlies are a tropical disturbance, which are moving from east to west or west-northwest (WNW). Over the Indian region, easterly waves occur mainly in winter, pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. These easterly waves have attracted the attention of many researchers due to the associated heavy rainfall, lightning and thunder squalls. Influence of easterly waves is less explored during pre-monsoon season. It is seen that during years 2001–2015, a total of 80 cases of trough in easterlies were witnessed by southern peninsular India in the pre-monsoon season. The maxima occurred in March (43 cases), followed by April (25 cases) and May (12 cases). It is observed that the year 2005 witnessed the longest spell of easterly waves for 18 days during 24 March to 10 April 2005, which is quite unusual. The event has claimed a death toll of 55 people in the two states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and heavy rains associated with this event damaged many houses and huts in Tamil Nadu. The unusual nature of the event has prompted us to undertake the study in details. In all, the event witnessed six systems as troughs in easterlies with their movement westwards from south Andaman Sea region to Lakshadweep and southeast Arabian Sea and Sri Lanka and adjoining Cape Comorin area. An attempt has been made to study the event of easterly waves during the year 2005 by exploring winds, temperature advection, vorticity, moisture convergence and potential instability. The causative reason is due to culmination of positive temperature advection, its multiple interactions with deep convective clouds and moisture incursion from anticyclonic flow close to eastern coast of south peninsular region of India. Observing the waves with the internal mechanism makes the study useful for operational forecasting and provides a better understanding of easterly waves.