The Hindu Business Line : Bountiful summer showers in Kerala

THE 2004 summer is proving bountiful for Kerala in terms of the amount of showers recorded, with as many as 10 districts soaking under `excess' rain and the rest receiving `normal' falls.

This will go to make up for the `deficient' and even `scanty' records returned by the immediately preceding southwest and northeast monsoons. This was made possible by the surge let loose by the low pressure that developed in the Bay of Bengal earlier in the week, crossing the State subsequently and transforming in stages into a depression, deep depression and a full-blown cyclonic circulation off the Lakshadweep coast.

Season's rainfall (March 1 to May 5):

Excess: Kannur, Kasaragod, Kollam, Kottayam, Malappuram, Palakkad, Pathanamthitta, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur and Wayanad districts.

Normal: Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Idukki and Kozhikode districts.

Rainfall recorded during the week ending May 5 was `excess' in all districts except Idukki where it was `normal.'

According to the Agromet Advisory dated May 6 issued by the Met Office, Thiruvananthapuram, the chief amounts of rainfall in cm are as follows:

May 3: Old Kochi Airport - 11; Cochin International Airport - 9; Piravom and Kollam - seven each; Cherthala and Vythiri - six each; Alappuzha, Tiruvalla, Varkala and Kannara - five each; Aryankavu, Kanjirappally, Thiruvananthapuram City, Kodungallur and Irinjalakkuda - four each.

May 4: Mavelikkara- nine, Kollam and Punalur - five each; Kasaragod, Thiruvananthapuram (both Airport and City) - four each; Alappuzha, Haripad, Kudulu, Kollengode, Neyyattinkara and Varkala - three each.

May 5: Kodungallur - nine; Hosdurg, Chittoor and Pattambi - seven each; Alappuzha and Kasaragod - six each; Haripad, Aluva, Kannur, Thalassery, Kudulu, Kottayam, Tiruvalla, Thiruvananthapuram City, Nedumangad and Ambalavayal - five each.

Mean maximum temperature varied between 28 deg C and 32 deg C in various districts with Punalur recording the maximum high of 33.2 deg C on May 4.

The maximum temperature was four deg C below normal in Alappuzha the same day, and three deg C below normal in Kozhikode on May 3 and Thiruvananthapuram on May 4.

Mean relative humidity varied between 73 per cent and 93 per cent, mean cloud coverage between five okta and eight okta and mean wind speeds, two mph and 10 kmph.

Forecast valid until May 8 spoke about rain/thundershowers at many places in all districts. `Isolated heavy rainfall' warning is valid throughout the next 48 hours. Outlook for the subsequent days did not indicate any significant change.

State and stage of crops: Sowing of paddy seeds for raising the `Virippu' nurseries is progressing. Pulses and vegetables have reached the harvesting stage. Coconut and rubber saw land preparation and digging being undertaken for new plantings.

Harvesting of fruit crops also is in progress. New planting, intercultural operations, top dressing, plant protection and harvesting are being carried out in banana depending on the stage of the crop.

Advisory for next 4 days: Sowing of nursery for the `Virippu' crop has been completed. Harvesting can continue in pulses and vegetables.

In coconut gardens, sowing of green manure seeds can be undertaken with the receipt of showers. Staking of young plants, weeding and pit taking for new plantings can be continued in rubber.

In banana, new planting, intercultural operations, weeding, top dressing and harvesting can be continued based on the stage of the crop. However, `bunchy top' disease-affected plants should be destroyed. In cardamom, a bout of `Katte' disease is likely. Clumps showing symptoms thereof should be destroyed. In pepper, planting of `live standards' and pruning of existing ones can be done.

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