Monsoon 1% above normal during week ended September 14

Rainfall across the country was heavy during the week ended September 14. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), southwest monsoon during the week ended September 14 was one per cent more than normal.

Officials said if the trend continues in the next few weeks, the month of September this year could end up as being one of the wettest in the past few years.

Above normal rainfall during the second week of September is unusual as southwest monsoon should start retreating from the mainland from September 1.

The cumulative rainfall across the whole country since June 1 till September 14 was almost three per cent above normal.

“The country should have received 807.4 millimetres of rainfall till Wednesday, but actual rains were 829.2 millimetres from June 1 to September 14,” the Met department said.

Of the 36 meteorological subdivisions, till date rainfall was normal in 24 and excess in four. Four subdivisions had received below normal rainfall.

Meanwhile, the national capital region of Delhi recorded one of its heaviest rainfall in the span of one-hour on Thursday.

The four-month southwest monsoon season is crucial for the country’s farm production as more than 50 per cent of the arable land doesn’t have proper irrigation facilities.