ReliefWeb

INDIA METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT

HIGHLIGHTS

- For the country as a whole, the rainfall for the season (June-September) was 77% of its long period average (LPA).

- Seasonal rainfall was 64% of its LPA over Northwest India, 80% of its LPA over Central India, 96% of its LPA over south Peninsula and 73 % of its LPA over Northeast (NE) India.

- Monthly rainfall was 53% of LPA in June, 96% of LPA in July, 73% of LPA in August and 79% of LPA in September.

- The monsoon set in over Kerala on 23rd May, one week before its normal date of 1st June. During 8-20 June, there was hiatus in the advance of the monsoon. However, later the monsoon advanced rapidly and covered the entire country by 3rd July, compared to its normal date of 15th July. As in the previous two years, the withdrawal of monsoon from west Rajasthan was delayed and it commenced only on 25th September compared to its normal date of 1st September.

- Out of 526 meteorological districts for which data are available, 215 districts (41) % of the meteorological districts received excess/normal rainfall and the remaining 311 districts (59%) received deficient/scanty rainfall during the season.

- The operational forecast for monsoon onset over Kerala for this year was correct, which is the fifth consecutive correct forecast for this event since issuing of forecast for the event which started in 2005.

- The operational long range forecast for the seasonal rainfall over the country as a whole and over four homogeneous regions except south peninsula have not been accurate. The forecast for August rainfall over the country as a whole has also not been accurate. All these forecasts were overestimate to the actual rainfall situation. However, the forecast for seasonal rainfall over south Peninsula and that for July rainfall over the country as a whole have been accurate.