Monsoon overall deficient by 9 pc: IMD

Monsoon overall deficient by 9 pc: IMD

PUNE: The 2018 Southwest Monsoon season, that is from June to September, ended with an over-all deficiency of 9 per cent in rainfall over the country, said India Meteorological Department (IMD). The IMD said this all-India deficiency is mainly attributed to the large rainfall deficiency observed over northeast India (24 per cent). 

In an official release, IMD stated it is very rare for North East (NE) India to receive this kind of large rainfall deficiency. During the period 1901-2017, only four years (1992, 2005, 2009 and 2013), the rainfall deficiency over NE India was more than 20 per cent. Also, the northeast region, known for large scale floods, did not witness significant floods during the season.

However, over North West India, central India and south Peninsula, seasonal rainfall distribution was satisfactory and well distributed as predicted, with only marginal rainfall deficiency of 2 per cent, 7 per cent and 2 per cent respectively.

The 2018 season was characterised by large day to day variability within the season. However, many intense rainfall events during the season have led to flooding like the Kerala floods. The season also witnessed formation of a large number of low pressure systems over Bay of Bengal and their westward movement across Central India.

During the season, 10 low pressure areas were formed, out of which one system intensified into a cyclonic storm, one into a deep depression and 4 into depressions. 

Southwest Monsoon seasonal rainfall influences the agricultural and other allied sectors very significantly. It also decides the reservoir levels across the country. The acreage data of the Ministry of Agriculture suggests that overall crop acreage during the Kharif season is higher by 2.6 per cent as compared to the highest ever acreage record food production that India experienced during 2017.

The resultant acreage is largely manifested by the good soil moisture distribution across the country. Adequate soil moisture available over northern parts of India may help the Rabi crops during 2018 to 2019. Reservoir levels monitored by the Central Water Commission (CWC) stands at around 5 per cent higher than 10 year mean storages and 17 per cent higher than the storages of corresponding period during 2017. 

IMD FORECAST
- IMD forecasted that till October 8, central Maharashtra and Goa may witness rainfall. However, Vidarbha will experience dry weather.
- The IMD forecasted that Pune city may experience rain and thundershowers in the city till October 7. Partly cloudy weather may be prevalent till October 10.

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