Marathwada 44% and Vidarbha 20% deficient in rainfall

The Marathwada and Vidarbha regions of Maharashtra have received deficient rainfall as on 24th August. As per the current status of monsoon report issued of Ministry of Earth Science, Marathwada has received 44% less rain than the LPA (Long Period Average) while the Vidarbha region has been 20% short of the LPA rainfall. These areas remain the worst-affected in terms of drought in Maharashtra.

Most of the northeastern states, Kerala and north interior Karnataka have received deficient rainfall till 24th August. The details of deficient subdivisions and their cumulative rainfall as on 24th August, 2008.

According to the India Meteorological Department the current meteorological analysis and weather forecast for next week is as follows:

 

 

Currently western end of the monsoon trough lies close to the foothills of the Himalayas. There is a feeble upper air cyclonic circulation over south Orissa and neighbourhood.

 

The meteorological analysis and Numerical Weather Prediction models suggest sub-dued rainfall activity over northwest and central India during the next 5-7 days.

 

Northeastern States, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal & Sikkim and Bihar are likely to experience wide spread rainfall activity with heavy to very heavy falls during next 4-5 days.

 

There are indications of good rainfall activity over extreme south Peninsula particularly over Tamil Nadu and Kerala commencing from 27th onwards for the next 2-3 days.

Rainfall Scenario
The cumulative seasonal rainfall for the country as a whole for the period 1st June to 24th August is below the Long Period Average (LPA) value by 1 %. Rainfall distribution over the four broad homogeneous regions of India is given below:

Due to good rainfall activity over many parts of the country during 1st half of the August, out of 36 meteorological sub-divisions, number of sub-divisions with deficient rainfall is only 6.