This monsoon, Mahabaleshwar gets more rain than Cherrapunji

“Though we see such trends and both hilly regions receive rainfall due to different weather systems, a similar scenario was last recorded in 2013. That year, rainfall at Mahabaleshwar was 1463.8 mm more than that recorded at Cherrapunji,” P Guhathakurta, head of IMD’s Climate Data Management and Services, told The Indian Express
As per IMD data from the last 13 years, Mahabaleshwar has recorded above normal rainfall in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2013.

However, the entire high-rainfall area covering north-east India, as on August 28, was 27 per cent rain deficit. Other regions such as central India (0 per cent) and peninsular India (+9 per cent) have either recorded surplus or normal rainfall, so far.

A K Srivastava, head of the IMD’s climate monitoring and analysis group, said in the three months of the ongoing season, monsoon currents remained strong for nearly one-and-a-half months, bringing bountiful rains over central, west, north and peninsular India.

“Most weather systems formed over the Bay of Bengal moved westwards, depriving the northeast of rains. In addition, good rainfall is recorded over the north-east region whenever the monsoon currents are weak. During this phase, rest of India usually experiences a dry spell,” said Srivastava.

He pointed out that along with northeast India, parts of Tamil Nadu also receive a good spell of rain whenever monsoon is subdued over peninsular, central, west and north India, he noted. “But these trends have not held true in recent years, with monsoon becoming highly erratic in nature,” said Srivastava.