Cumulative seasonal rainfall normal: IMD southwest moonsoon review

New Delhi, Oct 1 (UNI) The cumulative seasonal rainfall for the country as a whole was near normal, Director General of India Metrological Department Ajit Tyagi said here today.

Addressing newsmen after the review of southwest monsoon 2008, Dr Tyagi said the rainfall for the season from June 1 to September 30, 2008 was 98 per cent of its Long Period Average (LPA).

He said the spatial distribution of seasonal rainfall during 2008 was largely uniform with 30 meterological subdivisions recording normal rainfall.

He said monsoon was marked by large temporal variation for the country as a whole, as rainfall was 27 per cent above LPA in June and that in July was 17 per cent below LPA. The rainfall was near normal during August and September.

Dr Tyagi said considering the spatial distribution of rainfall, there was excess rainfall in June over northwest India in association with mid-latitude westerly systems and over northeast India due to monsoon depressions.

The rainfall in July was excess along the foothills of the Himalayas leading to flood over Bihar and northeastern states and was deficient over central India. The deficient rainfall over peninsular India during June and July was compensated by the excess rainfall during August and September.

IMD's long range forecast for the seasonal rainfall over the country as a whole and over deifferent homogeneous regions except northwest India have been accurate, Dr Tyagi said He said though there was rapid progress of monsoon over parts of the country after the onset over Kerala on May 31st, there was delay in withdrawal of monsoon from northwest India. Monsoon covered the entire country on July 10th against its normal date of July 15th.

The withdrawal of monsoon from west Rajasthan commenced on September 29th against normal date of September 1.

He said compared to last year, the frequency on monsoon depressions has been less with development of only four depressions during this monsoon season. However, seven low pressure areas developed during the season and contributed to the seasonal rainfall.

The southwest monsoon advanced over parts of southeast Bay, most parts of Andaman Sea and Bay Islands on May 10, 2008, about five days ahead of its normal date. The monsoon set in over Kerala on may 31, one day prior to the normal date. Further advance took place quite rapidly mainly due to a depression during June 5 and 6 over the east central Arabian Sea and a well marked low pressure area during June 9 to 11 over Saurashtra and Kutch and neighbourhood.

The monsoon covered the entire country by July 10, against normal date of July 15, Dr Tyagi added.

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