Gujarat and North-West India see deficient rainfall in August: IMD

Monsoon has been lacklustre in India this year. The month of July was negative and the month of August has seen an even bigger deficiency.

Earlier, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) expected monsoon to revive around August 20 but had warned that the month of August could still see a deficient rainfall.

Skymet Weather Services Pvt. ltd updated its monsoon 2021 forecast and said there is a 60 percent chance of 'below normal' rainfall during monsoon at 94 percent of the long-period average (LPA) with an error margin of (+/-) 4 percent.

According to the private weather forecast company, the onset of the southwest monsoon was on time this year and the country recorded above normal rainfall at 110 percent of the LPA in June. However, in July, there was a prolonged break and the month finished with below-normal rainfall at 93 percent of LPA. Additionally, the monsoon break continued in the first half of August as well.

In an interview to Manisha Gupta, RK Jenamani of IMD said the month of August has been bad for Gujarat and North-West India with rainfall deficiency of around 50 percent.

"Rainfall in the month of August has been deficient by 27 percent and there are sub-divisions like Gujarat, Punjab which are deficient by 50 percent. So the month of August has been very bad for Gujarat and North-West India."

However, Jenamani expects heavy rainfall in Maharashtra and Mumbai from August 30.

"There is a high chance that towards August end, maybe from August 30, Maharashtra and Mumbai may get heavy rainfall."