One-third of state gets below average rainfall

Pune got the most rainfall above its threshold among all districts in Maharashtra — 17 per cent in excess of its seasonal normal — but Pune city remained 21 per cent short of the normal mark as on September 30

Monsoon, Mumbai rains, Southwest monsoon, Delhi temperature

The state has fallen short of 8 per cent of its normal seasonal rainfall (Representational image)

One-third of Maharashtra has remained rain deficient this year, leaving the state overall short of 8 per cent of its normal seasonal rainfall after the southwest monsoon season came to a draw Sunday.

Pune got the most rainfall above its threshold among all districts in Maharashtra — 17 per cent in excess of its seasonal normal — but Pune city remained 21 per cent short of the normal mark as on September 30. Every year, the rainfall recorded from June to September in Pune city is 566.3 mm.

However, the city seems unlikely to experience any water woes in the coming months because most of the water-supplying dams have enough stock. Some of the reservoirs were even overflowing well before their stipulated time this year, forcing the local civic body to release dam water earlier than usual.

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Other parts of the state haven’t been so lucky. Major parts of Marathwada and some areas in Madhya Maharashtra have received between 60 and 70 per cent of the season’s normal rainfall, raising serious worries about the months ahead.

Marathwada received 533.4 mm rainfall this year, which is 21 per cent below normal. The state’s three other sub-divisions — Vidarbha and Madhya Maharashtra (- 8 per cent ) and Konkan (- 1 per cent), closed the season under “normal” category.

According to IMD officials, strong westerly winds from the Arabian Sea, experienced throughout the season, brought-in heavy to very heavy rain over the west coast of Maharashtra and neighbouring Madhya Maharashtra. But on the flip side, weather systems from the Bay of Bengal, which are responsible for bringing rain over Vidarbha and Marathwada when they move towards central India, were largely missing.

“Instead, these systems changed direction from north Vidarbha and progressed northwards to Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, leaving Marathwada mainly dry for many days,” said an IMD official.

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Districts in Konkan, Vidarbha and the rest of Madhya Maharashtra have recorded good rain, some districts even ending on a surplus note.

The Rabi season ahead appears tough for farmers in Marathwada. “Most cultivation in Sangli, Solapur and Kolhapur districts of south Madhya Maharashtra are Rabi growing ones and they can still hope for good crop in the months ahead,” said an official from IMD’s AgriMet Division.

“Instead, these systems changed direction from north Vidarbha and progressed northwards to Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, leaving Marathwada mainly dry for many days,” said an IMD official.

Districts in Konkan, Vidarbha and the rest of Madhya Maharashtra have recorded good rain, some districts even ending on a surplus note.

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