What Is a Cloudburst? How Does It Occur?

All You Need To

Know About the Sudden Copious Rainfall

A cloudburst is a sudden fierce downpour within a radius of a couple of

kilometers. Historically, cloudbursts usually do not last for more than a few
minutes, however, they are capable of flooding the entire area in no time.

Several states in India have been experiencing cloudbursts that are triggered by
incessant rainfall, especially in the hilly regions including Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh,
Jammu and Kashmir among others. A cloudburst is a sudden fierce downpour within a radius
of a couple of kilometers. Historically, cloudbursts usually do not last for more than a few
minutes, however, they are capable of flooding the entire area in no time.
As per reports, rainfall from a cloudburst is usually equal to or greater than 100 mm per hour.
The occurrence of cloudbursts is commonly seen across the mountainous regions, deserts,
and interior regions of continental landmasses. Majorly, all recorded cloudbursts are
experienced in the Indian subcontinent where monsoon clouds drift from the Bay of Bengal
or the Arabian Sea onto the Himalayas.