First half of March remains deficit, rains pick up pace now
Posted on: 19/Mar/2018 2:59:05 PM
With the beginning of March, pre-Monsoon season has also kick started in the country. Rainfall pattern has too started showing gradual changes. However, the first half the March was not very fruitful in terms of rain, as showers remained far and few. As a result, the first fortnight ended with the deficient rains.
As on March 14, the countrywide cumulative rainfall was deficit by 58%. The country has recorded 5.4 mm of rain against the average rainfall of 12.8 mm between March 1 and March 14. With this, Central India was highly rain deficit by 97%, followed by Northwest India at 62%. Both East and Northeast India and Peninsular India also remained rain deficit by 35% and 54%, respectively.
According to statistics, the initial week of the month was better than the second one, although both were deficit. The week between March 1 to March 7 recorded 4.4 mm of rain against the average of 6.3 mm. Meanwhile, the week from March 8 to March 14 saw mere 1.1 mm against the average mean of 6.5 mm. As a result, the countrywide weekly rainfall for first week was deficit by 30%, as compared to the rainfall deficiency of 83% last week.
Most of the sub-divisions in the country either saw no rains or were largely deficit. In fact, six out of seven days were dry. Practically in last two weeks, there was only one day i.e. March 13 that saw rainfall that too in Tamil Nadu and northeastern parts of the country.
Out of 36 sub-divisions across the country, 1 subdivisions witnessed largely excess rainfall, 2 excess, 2 normal, 3 deficient, 21 largely deficient and 17 reported no rainfall.
This fortnight, major contribution came from Jammu and Kashmir, Northeast India and island territories of Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar. Meanwhile, Gujarat, Bihar, East Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Konkan & Goa, Madhya Maharashtra, and Rayalaseema remained absolutely dry during this period.
We have now entered into the second half of March. After witnessing two consecutive weeks of deficit rainfall, country finally observed good rains during the third week. The depression that travelled right from Bay of Bengal to Indian Ocean to Arabian Sea, managed to fairly widespread rains over several parts of Peninsular India.
Parts of Central, East and Northeast India too saw scattered rains on account of wind confluence zone and cyclonic circulation, while hills and plains of Northwest India recorded rains and snow due to Western Disturbance and its induced low.
With this, we can expect some increase in countrywide rainfall that might cover up for deficiency. Weathermen predict that third week of March seems to be promising one for the entire country, while rains may go down slightly during the last week, but scattered showers would continue.
And, as reiterated by Skymet Weather, March would not disappoint the country and would be able to end with the normal rainfall. The special feature of March rains is that showers are not evenly distributed across the country. It is a mix of deficit, normal and excess rains.
Courtesy: skymetweather.com
