The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday forecast below normal rainfall across the country in September, which would mean this monsoon season will certainly end on a deficit, and revealed that the preceding month had been the warmest August since 1901.
“We had moderate to strong El Niño conditions prevailing through August, and while four low-pressure systems also developed, the activity was mainly confined across the Indo-Gangetic Plain region. IMD presented data, which shows this as the warmest August on record—since 1901, in terms of mean temperature across the country, which was 28.01°C in August, 0.67°C above the LPA.
IMD director general M Mohapatra said while there was significant rainfall across the Indo-Gangetic plain region, where temperatures accordingly remained in check, other parts of the country broadly saw below normal rains and thus, higher temperatures too. This also included two depressions developing,” Mohapatra said, adding rainfall eluded much of the western coast, all the way from Punjab.
The deficient and uneven rainfall, which is expected be less than 91% of the long period average (LPA) this month, is likely to weigh on the kharif crop, with experts seeing lower yields, quality and output. The overall monsoon deficit stood at 14% on August 31, with this expected to increase through September. In September, which is the last monsoon month left, the country typically records 167.9mm of rainfall, based on the 1971-2020 LPA.
“During September, many parts of the country are likely to receive below-normal rainfall.
However, some areas of northwest, northeast, east, and east-central India and isolated areas of Southeast Peninsular India are likely to receive normal to above-normal rainfall,” the forecast said.
