E-Paper
Telangana records 50% excess rainfall this monsoon season
According to the official figures obtained from the state agriculture department, the state received an average rainfall of 1078.30 mm as on Wednesday, as against the normal rainfall of 720.4 mm since the monsoon entered the state in the second week of June.
Telangana has recorded a 50 per cent increase in the average rainfall in this year’s south-west monsoon season which concluded on Wednesday.
According to the official figures obtained from the state agriculture department, the state received an average rainfall of 1078.30 mm as on Wednesday, as against the normal rainfall of 720.4 mm since the monsoon entered the state in the second week of June. This accounts for an increase of around 50 per cent.
However, Hyderabad meteorological department has projected that the state received 45 per cent excess rainfall this rainfall season. The average rainfall as on September 30 was 1,102 mm as against the normal rainfall of 759.6 mm – an excess of 45 per cent.
“The IMD calculates rainfall season from June 1 to September 30, whereas the agriculture department takes into consideration the south-west monsoon, which enters the state a bit late,” Hyderabad meteorological department’s weather expert B Raja Rao said.
He said this year’s rainfall was the highest in the last 10 years. “Last time the state received such a heavy rainfall was in 2010, when it was 33.5 per cent more than the normal rainfall. We only take into consideration the last 10 years’ data. So, compared to the previous decade, too, this year’s rainfall could be the highest,” Rao said.
While Mulugu district received the highest rainfall of 1916 mm, Nalgonda received the lowest rainfall of 636 mm. Out of 33 districts, as many as 27 districts received an excess rainfall of 20 per cent or more.
The IMD weather expert attributed this abnormal increase in the rainfall this season to frequent low-pressures in Bay of Bengal. “There was one low-pressure each in June and July and as many as five in August and two in September, that caused heavy rains in the state,” he said.
Adding to this phenomenon, there were formation of vertical wind shears over some areas that resulted in excess rainfall in several places. “For the first time after many years, there was an excess rainfall of 50-80 per cent in south Telangana and Rayalaseema of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. In fact, there was an excess rainfall of 84 per cent in Anantapur, which is considered to be a perennially drought-hit area,” Rao said.
He said the impact of south-west monsoon in the state will continue for some more days, before it starts retreating. So, rains will continue for some more days, he added.
