Persisting deficits over North-West India and parts of North-East India have drained the overall rainfall surplus for the country till date (June 1-August 6) even as the monsoon has taken off into the second half unleashing punishing spells over West India and the South Peninsula.

As of Friday morning, no State in the South Peninsula has a deficit.

The persisting deficits in the North-West are from the Union Territory of Delhi (-31 per cent); Himachal Pradesh (-32 per cent); Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir (-51 per cent) and Ladakh (-63 per cent); and Rajasthan (-26 per cent). In the North-East, these are Nagaland (-27 per cent); Manipur (-46 per cent); and Mizoram (-26 per cent).

High averages in North-East

The deficit in the North-East is despite the heavy rainfall and flooding reported recently. But the respective States have high normal rainfall averages which cause deviations to get magnified in the analysis, unlike in other regions of the country. The rain and the flood reported in the catchment areas here so far have not still managed to match the known averages here.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Friday morning that the monsoon trough over North India, the harbinger of rain in the region, continues to be active and south of its normal position. Its western end is very likely to shift northwards gradually towards its normal position and gradually towards the Himalayan foothills, likely bringing rains to the deficit areas.

The other rain-driving and prevailing low- pressure area (that originated in the Bay of Bengal a few days ago) lies over South-West Madhya Pradesh, in the vicinity of a cyclonic circulation over North Konkan. The IMD expected both the systems to weaken by Saturday, till when they would be able to kick up winds and moderate to heavy rain in the neighbourhood.

Rains for West India, South Peninsula

Widespread rainfall with isolated/scattered heavy to very heavy falls has been forecast to continue over Gujarat, Konkan and Goa and Madhya Maharashtra (Ghat areas) until tomorrow (Saturday) and decrease thereafter. Isolated extremely heavy falls are likely over Gujarat for the rest of today (Friday).

Meanwhile, strong south-westerly/westerly monsoonal flows with winds speeds reaching 50-60 km/hr would continue along and off the Karnataka and Kerala coasts till Sunday. Isolated/scattered heavy to very heavy falls are likely over Tamil Nadu, Kerala and South Interior and Coastal Karnataka during next 4-5 days, the IMD said.

A fresh low pressure area is likely to develop over West-Central and adjoining North Bay of Bengal (off the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha coasts) by Sunday, leading to scale-up of rainfall over East and Central India. Fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy falls is likely over Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Vidarbha until August 12.