Goodly rainfall drives down monsoon deficit by 7 pc in 2 weeks

With a good spell of rain across the country, the overall monsoon deficiency has come down substantially by seven per cent in just two weeks.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department, the overall monsoon deficiency till August 27 was -18 per cent. However, that reduced to -15 per cent till September 3. It dipped further to -11 per cent until September 9.
"This is largely due to good rainfall across the country, including in many parts of north India. Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telengana, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and the western coast have received good rainfall," said IMD Director General Laxman Singh Rathore.

Rainfall continues to be low in north-west India as compared to the whole country with the deficit for the division standing at -33 per cent, the highest in the country.
The deficiency in Delhi, Haryana and Chandigarh has been -54 per cent. Eastern UP has till now recorded a -55 per cent deficit, the highest for any sub-division in the country, while western UP has seen a monsoonal shortfall of -42 per cent.
However, Jammu and Kashmir received 17 per cent more rainfall than the average this season.

The deficiency in the southern peninsula till now has been at -5 per cent, which is lowest in the country, followed by -11 per cent in central India and -13 per cent in eastern and north-eastern India. Over the past two weeks, Karnataka, Kerela, Lakshadweep, Maharashtra received excess rainfall.

Good rainfall is also attributed to a low pressure area that has brought showers to central India. In the coming weeks, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Odisha are expected to get good rainfall, said Rathore, adding that September could see above normal rainfall.
It is to be noted that the monsoon deficit for the country at the end of June was -43 per cent. However, with an increase in monsoon activity in July and August, the shortfall slowly started to decrease.