Panaji: Several places in Goa received light to brisk showers on Saturday as India Meteorological Department (IMD), Panaji forecast light rain or thundershowers over the ghats and adjoining areas for three days till Sunday.IMD issued its first nowcast bulletin at 12.33pm, warning of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds reaching 30-40kmph at a few places. Two more nowcast bulletins followed at 2.08pm and 3.19pm.Slightly cloudy conditions prevailed in the morning before showers, preceded by gusty winds, brought rain to several places. While brisk showers lasted nearly half an hour at some locations, drizzle continued for more than two hours in others. The rain was accompanied by heavy thunder and provided relief from the oppressive heat.Two low-pressure areas persisted over the southwest Arabian Sea off the Somalia coast and the southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining areas of Tamil Nadu and north Sri Lanka, according to IMD. An associated cyclonic circulation extended up to 5.8km above mean sea level.Sultry conditions had prevailed on Thursday, with Panaji recording a maximum temperature of 36°C, 3.7 degrees above normal, and Mormugao 35.5°C. Panaji’s minimum temperature was 26.2°C, 2.2 degrees above normal.Canacona recorded heavy rainfall of 101.6mm between 8.30am and 5.30pm on Friday. Other centres recorded moderate to light rainfall, with Old Goa receiving 51mm, Dharbandora 28.3mm, Panaji 22mm, Sanquelim 11.4mm and Mopa 8.6mm.By Saturday, post-monsoon rainfall totalled 33.3mm against the normal 136.8mm, a 75.5% shortfall.
