A cloudburst refers to a sudden and heavy downpour. Cloudbursts India, The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) describes it as accumulating 100 mm in one hour which is focused on an area spanning approximately 20 to 30 km.
Climate Connection
As temperature increases, the amount of moisture in the air increases by around 7% for every degree. Difficult terrains, such as mountains, force moisture laden air to go upwards. All the states of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu have been cloudburst hotspots. In roughly half a century (1970 to 2016) IMD reported approximately 30 incidents of cloudbursts.
Are All Floods Cloudbursts?
No. Following the Dharali Disaster of 2025 according to IMD data the rainfall was below the threshold level of cloudburst. Most meteorology stations capture rainfall data either over three hours or 24 hours – making detection of cloudbursts quite difficult. The IIT Jammu and NIH report published in 2023 has proposed stricter acceptance of cloudbursts measuring over 100 to 250 mm in just one area.
What About The Aftermath? – cloudbursts India
In spite of heavy downpours flash floods and landslides happen – as seen in Wayanad. The overall loss of Himachal Pradesh due to the 2025 monsoon floods was approximately Rs. 4,300 crore along with nearly 380 casualties.
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