Country stares at 15% deficit as monsoon withdraws

The country as a whole is facing a cumulative deficit of 15 % rainfall so far, with the withdrawal of monsoon having already commenced in parts of North-West. However, Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted the southern peninsula will receive normal to above-normal rainfall in the next few days which will continue till this month end. 

According to IMD, the Monsoon has already withdrawn from parts of North-West, including western parts of Rajasthan and parts of Punjab and Haryana. The withdrawal line of southwest Monsoon is passing through Amritsar, Hissar, Ajmer and Barmer, they said. 

Presenting a contrasting picture of sorts this week, while North-Western part of the country faced a deficit of 90 percent shortfall of rainfall, southern Peninsula indicated surplus Monsoon by 65 percent as against the countrywide deficit of 55 percent. 

As per data of IMD, the country as a whole has so far received 661.4 mm of rainfall as against the normal of 775.7 mm. The highest deficit of the season has been observed in Central India with a deficit of 20%. Northeast has witnessed the least deficit of 4 percent, having received 1179.8 mm of rain as against the average of 1233.8 mm of rain.  Meanwhile, as per the latest forecast of IMD, a low pressure system is intensifying in the Bay of Bengal, which is expected to move inland by September 14-15.  This will cause fairly heavy rainfall in Marathwada, Rayalaseema, Coastal Karnataka, north interior Karnataka and Kerala during the next two-three days. This, according to weather scientists is likely to will continue for the next few days. 

According to them, Central India may also receive normal to above normal rain, with some rain also expected over Northwest and eastern parts of the country during the last week of September. Close to the commencement of Monsoon, IMD had predicted 12% deficiency in rain.  As per the experts, the major reason cited for this deficit was the strengthening El Niño in the Pacific, a weather phenomenon that causes dry Monsoon in the country.