A fruit vendor shelters under an umbrella in the rain as he waits for customers in Yangon on May 29.

TORRENTIAL it may have been, but the heavy rain that drenched Yangon on May 23 was not a record, weather officials say.

During the 24-hour period in question, 6.02 inches fell in central Yangon, 4.77 inches at Kaba Aye station, 2.99 inches in Mingalardon and 2.28 inches in Pathein township in Ayeyarwady Division, said an official from the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology last week.

“Although rainfall exceeded 6 inches, it didn’t break the record set in May last year. We measured more than 10 inches of rain during Nargis,” she said.

Cyclone Aila, the second cyclone in the Bay of Bengal this year, coupled with the onset of the monsoon, brought heavy rains to Yangon and Ayeyarwady Divisions towards the end of May.

The monsoon had already advanced to the central part of the country by May 25 and reached northern Myanmar on May 27, about a week earlier than forecast by the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology.

Cyclone Aila developed from the low-pressure area originating in the southwest and adjoining south-central Bay of Bengal on May 22. It made landfall on the coastal area at the border of India and Bangladesh on May 25.

Daily hours of sunshine throughout Yangon also dropped significantly at the end of May because of clouds brought by the arrival of monsoon season, according to Department of Meteorology and Hydrology records.

At the beginning of the month, the sun shone for more than 10 hours a day according to department measurements, but the figure fell dramatically when the rain started in the third week.

“There were zero sunshine hours for May 24 and 25 because rain fell in all townships. The highest number of sunshine hours since than has been two, on May 25,” a department official said on Wednesday.

“It is the usual situation – the gloomy weather is caused by clouds that bring monsoon rain,” he said.

With the rain has also come an increase in relative humidity, which was measured at 65 percent on May 1 but 91pc on May 26.

Residents of Yangon differed in opinion about the arrival of monsoon.

Nuam, 24, who works in an office in downtown Yangon, said the clouds and rain provide relief from the heat of summer.

“Now we are not sweating as much when we go outside. Also, there’s no more glare of bright sunshine like in the summer, and I can feel the fresh, dust-free air. I prefer rainy season, except for the dirty water that sometimes floods the roads and sidewalks,” she said.

Ma Cherry, who lives in Sanchaung township, said weather makes her feel bleary.

“Continuous rain makes me uncomfortable. I get wet when I go outside, and washed clothes take a long time to dry,” she said.

“Also, my grandmother is not feeling well and the doctor said her illness was caused by temperature changes. And water that floods the road from the drainage system is also miserable. But I like breathing air that is clear of dust,” Ma Cherry said.

Meanwhile, isolated heavy rain fell in Chin State, with 3.72 inches of rain being recorded there during a 24-hour period at 9:30am on May 25.

Strong winds have also been observed in the Rakhine coastal area.

“The wind was blowing strongly. We had a bit of rain last night and today. Most of the boats are anchoring at the port because of the storm news on the radio and MRTV,” said a resident of Taunggok township in Rakhine State late afternoon on May 25 in a telephone interview.

Heavy rains from May 14 to 17 in upper Myanmar caused flash flooding in one village and inundated many other villages in Mandalay Division, leaving one person missing, the state media reported on May 22.

The flooding was centred on Kyaukse and Meiktila districts, where some households had to be evacuated after creeks and rivers burst their banks following days of heavy rains.

In Myitta township, a flash flood from a creek near West Thabyetha village swept away a 71-year-old man, U Hla Tin, according to the report.

Daytime temperature in Rakhine State and Thaninthayi Division rose 5 to 6 degrees Celsius above the average for May on May 25.