Uttarakhand Meteorological Centre has finally declared the arrival of monsoon in Uttarakhand on Tuesday. "Delayed monsoon, however, caused shortfall of around 63 per cent rainfall than normal in the month of June this year," said Uttarakhand Meteorological Centre director Anand Sharma.
The Met office figures indicate that the State experienced overall rainfall measuring 62.8 mm in June this year against normal rainfall of 167.8mm.
Pithoragarh district recorded the maximum rainfall among all districts of the State in June this year. Data compiled by the Met office reveals that Pithoragarh district recorded 128.7 mm rainfall against normal rainfall of 299.6 mm in June this year, Almora district received 52.3 mm rainfall against normal rainfall of 132.3 mm, Dehradun received 78.1 mm against normal rainfall of 185.2 mm, Pauri received 28 mm against normal rainfall of 123.5, Tehri received 26.4 mm against normal rainfall of 136.2 mm, Haridwar received 52.6 mm against normal rainfall of 105.7 mm, Nainital received 84 mm against normal rainfall of 205 mm, Bageshwar received 31.7 mm against normal rainfall of 132.3 mm, Chamoli received 44.3 mm against normal rainfall of 108.7 mm, Champawat received 46.5 mm against normal rainfall of 213.1 mm, Rudraprayag received 56.5 mm against normal rainfall of 217mm, Udham Singh Nagar received 70.1mm against normal rainfall of 147.4 mm and Uttarkashi received 63.1mm against normal rainfall of 147.6mm. Sharma said rainfall was above normal in June 2013 while rainfall was below normal in June this year.
He said that the rains that lashed the State capital on June 16, 2013 broke an 88-year-old record of highest rainfall in the month of June. Dehradun received at least 366 mm rainfall between June 16-17 till 5 pm last year, whereas it was on June 22, 1925 that Doon had received 188 mm rainfall.
Dehradun was India's wettest State capital in last year's monsoon with 2,865 mm of rainfall between June 1 and September 30. With 2,396 mm, Mumbai received the second highest rainfall last year. Even in 2012, Dehradun had received 2137 mm rainfall while Mumbai had received received 1,867 mm.
However, considering the trends so far, Uttarakhand is expected to have below normal monsoon this year which may be disappointing for the farmers, added Sharma.