Monsoon deficiency by 10% across India

New Delhi :  Even as many areas across the country receive copious rains, the country seems to face a rainfall deficiency of 10 per cent till August first week, according to private weather forecaster Skymet.

“Parts of Odisha and Madhya Pradesh have been recording some heavy to extremely heavy rains for the past 2-3 days. However, these limited rains are not adequate to dent the deficiency figure that remains stagnant at 10 per cent for the last four days,” it said.

The forecasting agency stated that the low performance of monsoon rains in West Coast and the north-east is primary reason behind the deficit in rainfall. According to Skymet, both the regions are the two rainiest pockets during the monsoon season.

“For the last many days, both the regions are not having sufficient rains. Until and unless, these regions perform together, the rainfall deficiency will continue to mount,” it added.

As per the Skymet statistics, Konkan and Goa that were surplus by 47 per cent as on July 20, now stand at 12 per cent periphery on August 8.

Similarly, coastal Karnataka which was witnessing above normal rains by 13 per cent on July 20 is currently witnessing below normal rains at minus 3 per cent.

Northeast India is also witnessing highly deficient Monsoon rains, said Skymet. As on August 8, Arunachal Pradesh is rain-deficient by 36 per cent, Assam and Meghalaya by 32 per cent and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura by 25 per cent.

Skymet said the off-shore trough that runs along the West Coast is responsible for showers right from South Gujarat coast to Kerala, but it remained weak this time.

This is a semi-permanent feature and waxing and waning of this trough is normal.

Another factor, as per the weather agency, is monsoon trough which in this season remained confined to north of its normal position, that is foothills of the Himalayas, for a considerable time. According to Skymet, although there were scores of monsoon systems forming in Bay of Bengal, but they have been not very active and remained limited up to West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar or maximum up to East Bihar.

“There have been no passage of any active Western Disturbances, which would have interacted with Monsoon trough, leading to enhancement of rains over the hills of northern India,” said the agency.

The weather agency also indicated that monsoon this year might slip into a week phase in the next few days, resulting more deficiency.

Published on: Aug 11, 2018 at 21:37 IST

IANS