68
S. Kiran and D. R. Micheal
Sikkim experiences very high intensity rainfall during the monsoon which usually
lasts from the end of May till the beginning of October signifying the wet season.
The period between November and April receives scanty rainfall contributing to the
dry season. The mean monthly rainfall illustrated in Fig. 2 and Table 2 reveals the
occurrence of heavy rainfall in the mid and lower hills while at higher altitudes the
rainfall is sparse. This is attributed to the variation in the altitude of hills over a
short span. However, the descriptives of the data for the four meteorological stations
considered in this study throw a puzzle, which is discussed in a later section.
Fig. 2 Mean monthly rainfall of observation stations