Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-16
RAINS AT CHERRAPOON.JE
The Remarkable Record of the Wet
test Spot on Earth.

From the Pail Mall Gazette.
Most of us have not troubled to study the
details of the rainfall of our own islands,
being content to accept the popular belief
that ours is the wettest climate in the
world, because our old friend the gulf
stream brings us a never-ceasing supply
from the ocean to the west of Taking
series of years. the average annual rainfall
over the united kingdom ranges from %
inches to % inches in the southeastern
counties Of England to from go inches to
so inches in the mountainous districts on
the western coasts. London's average is
% inches, rarely as low as 20 inches or as
much as 80 inches in any year, while
falls Of as much as an inch within twenty
four hours are but seldom recorded. Dur
ing the first five and half months of this
year, down to the middle of June, Cherra
had received the mere bagatelle of 267.S4
inches Of rain. so that, clearly, we ought
to deal with the volume in feet or in yards
rather than in inches. Within the limits
Of a single week the aggregate fall was
1879 inches, while on two successive days
the gauge registered 1915 inches and 1921
inches. more in forty-eight hours than
has ever been known to fall in London in
a whole twelvemonth.
II we look at a map of the Indian empire
we see the funnel-shaped Bay of Bengal
leading to the extensive low-lying tracts
of the Gangetic Soonderbuns and the Jhils
of Sylhet so that Assam is reached before
an elevation of 100 feet above the sea level
is attained. Suddenly the Khasia hills or
rather mountains, in the southwest Of AS
sam, rise abruptly from this great plain.
Beetling cliffs tower above the plains of
CaShar to an elevation of thousands of
feet, the escarpment facing south, toward
the Bay of Bengal in the far distance. At
an elevation of about 1000 feet there g.
facing southeast, deep gorge with pre-
cipitous sides, and 1t terminates in a sheer
wall Of rock rising up straight another
couple of thousand feet At the top of this
above the level of the sea, Is a small plain.
on which stands the little station Of Cher
rapoonjee, close to the edge of the preci-
pice.
Cherra is not a wet spot all the year
round. Like the rest of the Indian empire.
it has its dry and wet seasons, the former
under the northeast monsoon the wind
from the interior of Asia). the latter under
the southwest monsoon (the wind from the
Indian ocean,. During the four months
November to February. when the land
breeze prevails. very little rain is expe-
rienced. less than London receives in the
same period. but with March comes
marked increase in the fall and it attains
its maximum in June and July. when the
southwest monsoon is fully established.
afterward decreasing again. The average
annual fall Is about 500 inches. to which
the four dry months contribute In all
inches and the two wettest months $50
Isles, the Stye, near Seathwafte. in the
Cumberland hills. the rainfall for the year
averages as much as 1874 inches. but Cher
ra's average for the month of July alone
exceeds 40 inches.
| The explanation lies in the situation of
Cherra with regard to the rain-bearng
winds. The Bay of Bengal is a vast caul-
dron of warm water perpetually throwing
of immense volumes Of moisture. To the
northward the Soonderbuns and Jhils, low
lying swamps covered by flood waters dur
ing the midsummer months, supply as
much moisture as the bay. 1t is over these
immense areas of aqueous vapor that the
southwest monsoon sweeps. carrying N
land the precious liquid. which Is poured
down on the country in such a lavish man
ner. Even at sea level or thereabouts the
copiousness of the rain may be gathered
from the fact that 1t averages about 100
inchSs annually. but Cherra gets five times
as much as the plains. while places on the
little plain within half mile of Cherra
but not SO exposed, return from 20 inches
to 100 inches year less. When the south
west monsoon strikes the face Of the great
cliffs of the Khasia hills 1t Is already SUI
persaturated with the moisture collected
further south, and as it cannot continue
on its course at q low level 1t 10 forced
to ascend to the top Of the range. and It
u this sudden ascensionai movement that