India records wettest August in 44 years

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The country has recorded its wettest August since 1976. This year, the total rainfall recorded in the country between August 1 and 30 was 317.4 mm against a normal of 251.3 mm, making it a 26.3 per cent surplus for the month.

Data provided by India Meteorological Department (IMD) suggests that in the last 50 years, country’s August rainfall, when it surpassed 20 per cent above normal, was only on five previous occasions 1970 (26 per cent), 1973 (27.8 per cent), 1975 (21 per cent), 1976 (28.4 per cent) and 1983 (23.8 per cent).

As on August 30, the season’s rainfall for the country was 10 per cent above normal. It is particularly significant after July ended remaining 9 per cent short of normal rainfall.

This deficiency was mainly due to below normal rain recorded over the Central India region Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat. The phenomenal recovery of rainfall over this region is visible as it swung from -22.3 per cent to +61.5 per cent between July and August.

An official from Regional Meteorological Centre, Delhi said, since August 5, there were multiple low pressure systems formed in the Bay of Bengal, which kept the Southwest monsoon in active to vigorous phase. Heavy to very heavy rain was reported across Central India, which is a fairly large area.

July saw formation of no low pressure system. As a result, three consecutive weeks starting July 12, the weekly rainfall departures for the country were 12 per cent, 29 per cent and -13 per cent. The time to time formation of low pressure systems are vital during monsoon, as their movement over Central India brings rain over this large area.

In stark contrast, consecutive low pressure systems formed during this month. This resulted in strengthening of the monsoon winds causing bountiful rain over Central India during all the following three weeks, thereafter.

So much so, last week, the rainfall recorded over this region was 141 per cent of the Long Period Average (LPA).

Enhanced rainfall activity was recorded this month over south and northwest India regions as well. In August, south and northwest India recorded rainfall surplus by 36.7 per cent and 1.9 per cent, respectively. After a deluge caused by severe rain last month, the northeast region experienced a dry August as the monthly rain, here, ended remaining 19.1 per cent below normal.