August receives 27% more rainfall, fourth highest in 120 years

The country received 27 percent more rainfall than normal in August, the fourth highest amount in the last 120 years, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

The overall rainfall recorded in India from June 1 to August 31 was 10 percent more than normal, the IMD said on Monday.

"August has recorded 27 percent more rainfall than normal," R K Jenamani, scientist with IMD's national weather forecasting centre, said.

"Rainfall recorded in August 2020 is the fourth highest in the last 120 years and highest in 44 years," Jenamani added.

This is also one of the rainiest months of August recorded. The August of 1926 saw 33 percent more rainfall than normal, the highest precipitation recorded so far in the month; 1976 recorded 28.4 percent more rainfall than normal, while the August of 1973 recorded 27.8 percent than normal. This year saw 27 percent rainfall.

Mahesh Palwat, vice president, Skymet Weather, said due to formation of five low pressure areas in Bay of Bengal in August, the month recorded excess rainfall.

A low pressure area is a cyclonic circulation. It is also the first stage of a cyclone. However, it is not necessary that every low pressure develops into a cyclonic storm.

"August saw unusually high formation of low pressure areas. Of the five, three even reached Gujarat and Rajasthan. One low pressure area intensified into a deep depression, while another developed into a well-marked low pressure area. This gave good rainfall over central and east India," Palawat said.

Several parts of the country witnessed floods last month due to incessant rainfall.

June had recorded 17 percent more rainfall than normal while July ended with a 10 percent rainfall deficiency.

The IMD had predicted that July will get rainfall that is 103 percent of the Long Period Average (LPA), which falls in the "normal" category.

In its Long Range Forecast for rainfall in the second half (August-September) of the 2020 Southwest Monsoon released last month, the IMD said August was likely to receive rainfall that is 97 percent of the LPA with an error margin of plus/minus nine percent.

"Quantitatively, the rainfall over the country as a whole during the second half of the season is likely to be 104 percent of the LPA with an error margin of plus/minus eight percent," it had said.

The LPA rainfall over the country for the 1961-2010 period is 88 centimetres.

Monsoon in the range of 96-104 percent of the LPA is considered normal. The official rainfall season in the country is from June 1 to September 30.

The northwest division of the IMD has a 9 percent deficiency. It comprises Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana and the Union territories of Chandigarh, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

The central India division received 21 percent more rainfall. The division comprises Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and the Union territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.

The south peninsula meteorological division of the IMD has received 20 percent more rainfall than normal. The division covers Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kerala, Karnataka and the Union territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep and Puducherry.

The east and northeast India division has also recorded 2 percent more rainfall. The division comprises West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and the northeastern states. PTI PR RDM AAR