Date:19/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/09/19/stories/2008091950671100.htm

Back Rain deficit gets cut back to 2%

Vinson Kurian

Thiruvananthapuram, Sept. 18 Some heavy to very heavy amounts of rainfall pelting parts of the peninsula, central and west-central India during the week ending Wednesday has helped knock off a full percentage point from the all-India deficit.

The deficit now stands revised to two per cent with Saurashtra (in percentage figures, +893); Madhya Maharashtra (+263); Gujarat (+234); and Marathawada (+206) leading the phenomenal ‘rain charge’ through the week.

The deficit Met sub-divisions are only two (from five earlier) – west Madhya Pradesh at -22 and Nagaland-Manipur-Mizoram-Tripura at -24. The depression active over land might help west Madhya Pradesh fancy an entry into the normal category that features 30 Met sub-divisions (26 in the previous week) currently.

NOTABLE ADDITIONS

Notable additions to this list week-on-week are Kerala (-19); Vidarbha (-18); Marathawada (-12); Gujarat (-6); and Saurashtra (+10). These sub-divisions could go on to receive more rains since weather-making systems were still active over the respective command regions.

Four sub-divisions are in the excess category with the south peninsula housing two – south interior Karnataka (+22 per cent) and Tamil Nadu (+20 per cent). The others are Orissa (+20 per cent) and Punjab (+21 per cent).

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) late on Thursday said that the previous day’s deep depression over Chhattisgarh moved northwestwards and weakened into a depression.

It lay centred over Chhattisgarh, close to Pendra, on Thursday afternoon, and is likely to move northwestwards and weaken gradually. Heavy to very heavy falls is also likely over Vidarbha and Madhya Pradesh during the same period, the IMD update said. The likely interaction of the depression with an incoming westerly trough will trigger enhanced rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy falls over west Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh during the next two days.

Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely over north Gujarat, Konkan and Goa during the next 24 hours, being kicked up by a persisting circulation over the region. Meanwhile, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting still sees the possibility of a fresh ‘low’ spinning up over the northwest Bay of Bengal in a week’s time.

The monsoon was vigorous over Gujarat during the 24 hours ending Thursday morning. Forecast for the next two days said that rain or thundershowers are likely to occur at many places over Konkan-Goa, Madhya Maharashtra, Gujarat and Saurashtra and at a few places over Marathawada and Kutch.

Towards the South, rainfall occurred at a few places over coastal and north interior Karnataka. Isolated rainfall occurred over south interior Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.

Dry weather prevailed over Tamil Nadu and Lakshadweep. Forecasts said that rain or thundershowers are likely over a few places over coastal Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala.

Isolated rain or thundershowers are likely over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Telangana and Rayalaseema.