Distinguish Between Kal Baisakhi and Mango Showers

Answer: Kal Baisakhi are violent pre-monsoon thunderstorms with strong winds and heavy rain, mainly affecting eastern India, like West Bengal, during April-May. They often cause damage. On the other hand, Mango Shower are light to moderate pre-monsoon rains that occur in South India, like Kerala, from March to May. These showers are less intense and are beneficial for mango cultivation.

Kal Baisakhi

What it is: Kal Baishakhi, also known as Nor’westers, are strong thunderstorms that start in parts of eastern India during the pre-monsoon season, usually around April and May. Kal baishakhi means “the disaster of Baisakh”, which comes with fierce winds, heavy rain, thunder, lightning, and sometimes even hail that also damages crops, trees, and, of course, property as well in a minute.

Region: Kal Baishakhi mostly hits in the eastern and northeastern parts of India, places like West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Assam, and Tripura, as well as neighbouring Bangladesh.

Timing: It is believed that these storms usually build up in the afternoon or evening, mostly in the months of April and May, right before the monsoon season begins.

Cause: The Chhotanagpur Plateau gets so hot that it creates a low-pressure area. This draws in cooler, moisture-rich winds from the Bay of Bengal, and when these two air masses clash, intense thunderstorms form.

Characteristics:

• Sudden onset and rapid development.
• Very strong, gusty winds, often exceeding 100 km/h.
• Torrential rainfall in a short period.
• Frequent and intense lightning and thunder.
• Occasional hailstorms.
• The appearance of dark, ominous clouds preceding the storm.

Impact: While this storm can cause some serious damage with its strong winds, flooding, and disruption to daily life, there are some pros also, like Kal Baishakhi helping cool down the scorching summer heat and adding much-needed moisture to the soil, which benefits early crops like jute and paddy.

Mango Showers

What it is: Mango showers are also a pre-monsoon rain, but they are usually known for being lighter and more scattered than Kal Baishakhi. These gentle thunderstorms mostly show up in the coastal areas just before the monsoon sets in. People call this storm “Mango Shower” because they arrive during the mango ripening season, and many believe they help the mango fruit grow better.

Region: Mango Shower mostly can be felt in the southern and southwestern coastal parts of India. Especially in some areas like Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

Timing: These storms show up in the months of March and May, during the pre-monsoon months, which bring short bursts of rain before the full monsoon arrives.

Cause: These showers form when thunderstorms build up over the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, helped along by local heat and rising air currents that stir up the atmosphere.

Characteristics:

• Generally less intense compared to Kal Baisakhi.
• It can range from light, brief showers to moderate thunderstorms.
• More scattered and less organised than Kal Baisakhi.
• Often accompanied by lightning and thunder, but usually less severe.

Impact: These rains are great for farming, especially for helping mangoes ripen early and growing coffee. They also bring a little relief from the heat and make the air more humid before the full monsoon arrives. People call them different names in different places, like “April rains”, “summer showers”, “Cherry Blossom showers”, “Coffee showers”, and “Bordoisila” in Assam (though Bordoisila can sometimes be a bit stronger).

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