Monsoon rain 8% surplus, 5th highest since 2001: IMD

India has received an 8 per cent surplus rainfall during the monsoon (June to September), said the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The country received 937.2 mm rainfall against the normal of 868.6 mm.

This was the fifth highest rainfall recorded since 2001 and the 38th highest since 1901.

While normal to above-normal rainfall occurred over most parts of the country, below-normal rainfall was observed over East and Northeast India, said the IMD.

Northwest India recorded 747.9 mm of rainfall, which was the highest since 2001 and the sixth highest since 1901. Rainfall over East and Northeast India was 1,089.9 mm which was the second lowest since 1901. Previously, the lowest rainfall reported was in 2013, when the country received 1,065.7 mm.

The southwest monsoon advanced over the South Andaman Sea and Nicobar Islands on May 13, nearly nine days ahead of schedule. It arrived in Kerala on May 24, ahead of the usual onset date of June 1, and covered the entire country by June 29. The monsoon withdrawal began in west Rajasthan on September 14.

Gelling with the department’s prediction, September recorded the above-normal rainfall.

In September, rainfall recorded over the country was 193.6 mm and over Northwest India, it was 134.2 mm. This is the sixth highest since 2001.

The season was marred by extreme weather events, including cloudbursts leading to flooding.

Heavy rainfall spells over Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh were recorded from September 13 to 18, leading to flashfloods and landslides. On September 15 and 16, 13 persons died and 16 went missing due to torrential rain, cloudbursts and flashfloods in the Sahastradhara area (Tapkeshwar) in Dehradun.

An extremely heavy rainfall of 251.4mm occurred over Kolkata on September 23, resulting in the death of 13 persons.

The IMD said the rainfall in October was likely to be above normal. Most parts of the country are expected to receive normal to above-normal rainfall. However, some areas in Northwest, extreme south peninsular region and isolated pockets in Northeast, may experience below-normal rainfall, the department said.

“In October, normal to below-normal maximum temperatures are likely over most parts of the country except the Northeast and adjoining East India, the western Himalayan states and Saurashtra & Kutch where above-normal maximum temperatures are expected,” the IMD said.

IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said, “Most parts of the country are expected to receive above-normal rainfall during the post-monsoon season (October to December), except for some areas in Northwest India, where rainfall is likely to be normal to below-normal.”