July clocks 9% surplus rainfall pan-India, but below-normal in north-west

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Following a revived monsoon since the last week of June, several parts of the country have recovered from the rain deficit recorded in the first month of the June-September season, pushing the countrywide rainfall tally 2 per cent above normal. However, north-west India — comprising key food-crop growing states like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan — continued to receive deficit rainfall for two months running, with the July count proving 13 per cent below normal.

Pan-India rainfall during June-July was 453.8 mm, against the normal of 445.8 mm. While most states have received fairly good rainfall in the first two months, Jharkhand and Bihar as well as parts of West Bengal, Odisha and Chhattisgarh remain areas of concern.

All 24 districts of Jharkhand are in the deficient zone, while 33 out of 38 districts in Bihar have received less than normal rainfall. As many as 16 out of 23 districts in West Bengal, 10 out of 33 districts in Chhattisgarh, and 11 out of 30 districts in Odisha remained deficient until July 31.

Countrywide rainfall in July clocked 306.6 mm, 9.3 per cent above the long-period average (LPA) of 280.5 mm.

According to IMD data, east and north-east meteorological subdivision received 325.3 mm rainfall in July against LPA of 424.1 mm, down by 23.3 per cent, whereas in June it was 13.2 per cent below normal. The north-west meteorological subdivision received 182.4 mm rainfall in July against LPA of 209.7 mm, down by 13 per cent, whereas in June it was 33 per cent below normal.

The Central meteorological subdivision received 427.2 mm rainfall in July against LPA of 321.3 mm, up by 33 per cent, whereas in June it was 14 per cent below normal. The South peninsula received 279.2 mm rainfall in July against LPA of 204.5 mm, up by 36.5 per cent, whereas in June it was 14.2 per cent above normal.

Briefing mediapersons on Thursday, IMD director general M Mohapatra said the number of very heavy rainfall incidents (11.56-20.45 cm) and extremely heavy rainfall incidents (over 20.45cm) in July — 1,030 and 193, respectively — was the second highest for the month in the last five years.

“Both El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) were in the neutral conditions. Now ENSO moving towards La Nina condition, expected by this month-end, will help increase rainfall,” he explained. The monsoon trough was south of its normal position for many days of the month, which aided good rainfall over Central and Peninsular India, he added.