Extreme Rainfall Comparison: Tura vs. Jaisalmer

This question asks us to identify a location that might receive rainfall in a single day equivalent to 10 years' worth of rainfall in Jaisalmer. This involves understanding the vastly different climatic conditions across India.

Jaisalmer's Rainfall Profile

• Jaisalmer, located in the Thar Desert region of Rajasthan, is characterized by an arid climate.
• It receives very scanty rainfall annually, typically averaging around 200 mm to 300 mm per year.
• Therefore, 10 years of rainfall in Jaisalmer would amount to approximately $10 \times (200 \text{ mm to } 300 \text{ mm}) = 2000 \text{ mm to } 3000 \text{ mm}$.

Tura's Rainfall Profile

• Tura, situated in the Garo Hills of Meghalaya, is part of one of the wettest regions on Earth.
• Meghalaya receives extremely high amounts of monsoon rainfall due to its geographical location and topography, which forces moist winds upward, causing condensation and heavy precipitation.
• Places like Mawsynram and Cherrapunji, near Tura, hold records for the highest annual rainfall globally.
• It is not uncommon for areas in Meghalaya, including Tura and its surroundings, to receive rainfall exceeding 1000 mm in a single day during the peak monsoon season.
• Comparing this to Jaisalmer's 10-year rainfall (2000 mm - 3000 mm), a single day's rainfall in Tura can indeed be comparable to, or even exceed, a decade's rainfall in Jaisalmer.

Other Location Rainfall Profiles

• Leh: Located in Ladakh, Leh is a cold desert. It receives very low rainfall, often less than Jaisalmer, making it unsuitable.
• Asansol: Located in West Bengal, Asansol receives moderate to high rainfall, typically averaging around 1200 mm - 1500 mm annually. While significant, it's unlikely to reach Jaisalmer's 10-year total in a single day.
• Siliguri: Also in West Bengal, Siliguri receives higher rainfall, averaging around 2500 mm - 3000 mm annually, comparable to Jaisalmer's 10-year total. However, Tura's potential for extreme single-day rainfall events, driven by orographic lift in the high-rainfall zone of Meghalaya, is significantly higher and more frequent than Siliguri's.

Conclusion

Based on the extreme rainfall patterns observed, Tura is the most plausible location among the options that could receive an amount of rainfall in a single day equal to 10 years of rainfall at Jaisalmer.