Asia Update #29: Rains continue to Slam China, back off in India

Rains continued to hammer drought hit southern China this week. Meanwhile in India, after what looked like a start to the rains in the northeast, ended up just being a preseason (heavy) shower. Isolated heavy rains hit southeast Asia, although nothing out of the ordinary is occurring there. Syria has entered the dry season as protests continue.

A second week in a row of drought slammed southeast China. The region is being inundated with very heavy rain. The flooding crisis continues in a region that was to dry to produce its own food this past growing season. The atmosphere almost seems determined to make-up for the lack of rain during the first part of this year during the month of May. Landslides and flooding are now widespread across Hunan, Jiangxi, Fujian, Guangdong, and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, even though these areas are still running a major moisture deficits so far this year. Of particular note is that the heavy rainfall has not impacted Taiwan; however, heavy rains have been reported in South Korea. The rains in South Korea may extend into the North, however North Korean isolation means very little data is coming out of the country. Flooding may well be occurring there.

In South Asia, northeast India's phantom start to the rains two weeks ago, has shift back to light scattered rains. This may facilitate sowing of crops in Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripula, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, and Assam. However, precipitation deficits are growing here. Rainfall is also needed in Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Rainfall should return to the northeastern states next week, the rain may be heavy in some locations. Note that Bangladesh and West Bengal have not been impacted by this on again off again rainfall. Precipitation there continued to be steady through last week and long-term deficits there are minimal to nonexistent.

Heavy rain last week in northern Philippines and Kayin, Mon and Tanintharyi in southern Burma.

Seasonally dry weather continues in much of the Middle East. That includes Syria, where protests continue.