Express News Service
NEW DELHI: THIS August was the driest and warmest month, with the highest number of dry spell days, in the recorded history of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) since 1901.The rainfall deficit during August 2023 was so huge that even the normal rainfall forecasted for September cannot fill the gap. The deficit drags the Indian monsoon to the below normal mark this year, and will affect agriculture and the inflation-marred consumers in the country.
Rainfall in August was historically the lowest, hitting a deficit of -36%. This has led to an all-India deficit of -10% since June 1. In June, the deficit was -9%, followed by a surplus of +13% in July. With just 162.7 mm rainfall, last month has officially become the driest August on record since 1901. It is nowhere closer to previous records of 190.1 mm in August 2005, 191.6 mm in August 1920 and 192.5 mm in August 2009. Even the central (164.5 mm) and southern peninsular (73.5 mm) regions of the country received the lowest rainfall since 1901.
According to the IMD scientists, the major reasons behind the driest August were the El Nino impact, unfavourable Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) and lesser number of low pressure weather events.Normally, there are 16.3 days of low pressure system in August. However, this time around, only nine low-pressure days were observed. These weather events gave 20 days of dry spell days in August, another record in the IMD history.
“We have observed a rise in dry spell days in August this year. The highest numbers of dry spell days were previously observed in 1979 and 2005,” said Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director general meteorology at IMD. The lesser August rain would adversely impact the crop-sowing as well as the standing crops that require more water to sustain. It will lower yields of all kharif crops, including paddy. To control food inflation, India has already put an export ban on non-basmati and broken rice and imposed 20 per cent export duty on par-boiled rice.
One-third out of the total 36 sub-divisions in the country reportedly have deficit rainfall. This includes eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Gangetic West Bengal, Kerala, Lakshadweep, southern interiors of Karnataka, Rayalaseema, Maharashtra and Marathwada.
While a good rainfall in July increased the kharif sowing, the scarce rainfall in August has put these sown crops under threat. Most of the rainfall under the ‘very heavy’ to ‘heavy’ categories in August took place in the northern and eastern parts of the country, which helped in increased crop-sowing. The IMD has predicted a normal monsoon in September.
NEW DELHI: THIS August was the driest and warmest month, with the highest number of dry spell days, in the recorded history of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) since 1901.The rainfall deficit during August 2023 was so huge that even the normal rainfall forecasted for September cannot fill the gap. The deficit drags the Indian monsoon to the below normal mark this year, and will affect agriculture and the inflation-marred consumers in the country.
Rainfall in August was historically the lowest, hitting a deficit of -36%. This has led to an all-India deficit of -10% since June 1. In June, the deficit was -9%, followed by a surplus of +13% in July. With just 162.7 mm rainfall, last month has officially become the driest August on record since 1901. It is nowhere closer to previous records of 190.1 mm in August 2005, 191.6 mm in August 1920 and 192.5 mm in August 2009. Even the central (164.5 mm) and southern peninsular (73.5 mm) regions of the country received the lowest rainfall since 1901. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
According to the IMD scientists, the major reasons behind the driest August were the El Nino impact, unfavourable Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) and lesser number of low pressure weather events.
Normally, there are 16.3 days of low pressure system in August. However, this time around, only nine low-pressure days were observed. These weather events gave 20 days of dry spell days in August, another record in the IMD history.
“We have observed a rise in dry spell days in August this year. The highest numbers of dry spell days were previously observed in 1979 and 2005,” said Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director general meteorology at IMD. The lesser August rain would adversely impact the crop-sowing as well as the standing crops that require more water to sustain. It will lower yields of all kharif crops, including paddy. To control food inflation, India has already put an export ban on non-basmati and broken rice and imposed 20 per cent export duty on par-boiled rice.
One-third out of the total 36 sub-divisions in the country reportedly have deficit rainfall. This includes eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Gangetic West Bengal, Kerala, Lakshadweep, southern interiors of Karnataka, Rayalaseema, Maharashtra and Marathwada.
While a good rainfall in July increased the kharif sowing, the scarce rainfall in August has put these sown crops under threat. Most of the rainfall under the ‘very heavy’ to ‘heavy’ categories in August took place in the northern and eastern parts of the country, which helped in increased crop-sowing. The IMD has predicted a normal monsoon in September.
