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Vinson Kurian

Thiruvananthapuram, Sept 7 All-India rain deficit plumped to a new low of three per cent as on Friday (September 5) around the same time as a fresh band of unsettled weather draped the south peninsula.

Very heavy to heavy rains have been reported from Kerala, interior Karnataka and Marathawada variously over the past two days. This wave is projected to inch northwards, powered by two weather systems on either side of the peninsula.

A special update by India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday said that widespread to fairly widespread rainfall occurred over Kerala and Lakshadweep during the week. Interior Karnataka, Madhya Maharashtra, Marathawada, coastal Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Rayalaseema too have reported good rainfall.

Out of the 36 meteorological sub-divisions, those recording deficient rainfall was seven; and some of them had improved their relative position week-on-week.

North Interior Karnataka has managed to get into the ‘normal’ range with the departure from normal at -17 per cent only. But West Madhya Pradesh, Saurashtra and Kutch, coastal Karnataka and Vidarbha compromised their position a tad to fall into the deficient category.

The ‘problem areas’ of Marathawada (-37 per cent), Kerala (-27 per cent) and Nagaland-Manipur-Mizoram-Tripura (-24 per cent) continued to be in deficit. The current spell is expected to make a difference with respect to the position of the first two. The monsoon trough ran close to the foothills of the Himalayas during the week. This triggered widespread to fairly widespread rainfall with active/vigorous monsoon conditions over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya, and sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim and later over Bihar, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura.

The IMD said in its update on Sunday that a ‘low’ has formed over the Northwest Bay of Bengal, off the Orissa coast. Indications are that this might get a move to the west and cross land. Earlier, it was seen toying with the coast and getting dissipated, given the advanced phase of the monsoon.

The IMD sees an increase in rainfall activity over the north peninsula and adjoining central India Sunday onwards. More reassuring are early indications of a successor ‘low’ materialising in the Bay around September 16.

The fairly widespread rainfall activity along the west coast is forecast to ramp up in intensity towards the second half of this week. But Tamil Nadu and Northwest India may witness a reduction in rainfall.

Northwest India and adjoining Rajasthan are now witnessing scattered to fairly widespread rainfall under the influence of a trough in the westerly system crossing in from the international border.

Saturday’s upper air cyclonic circulation over Punjab and Haryana has since shifted to over Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. Another cyclonic circulation has formed over Uttarakhand.

During the 24 hours ended Sunday morning, the monsoon was vigorous over Kerala and active over interior Karnataka and Marathawada, according to the Met Centre, Chennai.

Rainfall occurred at most places over Kerala, at many places over Karnataka and at a few places over Tamil Nadu, Lakshadweep, Telangana and Rayalaseema.

Good rainfall was also reported from many places over Konkan-Goa, at a few places over South Madhya Maharashtra and South Gujarat region and at isolated places over North Madhya Maharashtra, North Gujarat and Saurashtra.

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