Tags:
Journalism of Courage
NEW DELHI, AUGUST 3: India’s southwest monsoon rains were normal in the first half of the four-month season and are likely to be normal in the remaining period, the weather office said on Thursday.
"For the country as a whole, the cumulative rainfall during the period June 1 to July 31 has been normal (98 per cent of the long period average)," the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its mid-season review of the June-September monsoon.
India gets 80 per cent of its rainfall from the southwest monsoon.
Normal is defined as rainfall within a two-way 10 per cent band of the long term average.
The IMD said the rainfall in June and July was excess to normal in 29 of the country’s 35 meteorological sub-divisions.
"During the second half of the monsoon season, the rainfall over the country is expected to be normal as per IMD’s long range forecast," the statement said.
The IMD in May forecast a twelfth consecutive normal monsoon year for the country.
"…This year the rainfall distribution is well comparable with the best years in the last decade," it said.
Monsoon rains set in over southern Kerala state on June 1, the normal date and covered parts of the southern, western and northern states by June 9. After a weak phase, it revived on June 23 and advanced onto the remaining parts of the country.
"The monsoon covered the entire country by July 2, about a fortnight earlier than the normal date," the statement said.
It said states affected by a severe drought last year, including Gujarat, Rajasthan and Haryana had received good rainfall this year.
"Though there was a fortnight’s delay in onset of monsoon over Gujarat, rainfall activity was good after the onset," the IMD said.
