October 1-20 cumulative rainfall 39% more than normal: IMD

Well beyond the conventional end of the southwest monsoon time that ends on September 30, it continued to rain almost throughout the country with scores of districts witnessing massive rains followed by devastating floods.

As a result, between October 1 to 20, the cumulative rainfall at 136.1 mm was above normal of 58.3 mm, which was 39 per cent of the long period average.

When it came to rainfall distribution over the four broad geographical regions of India, for East and the Northeast together, it was 125.6 mm against 106.1 mm normal rainfall, which was 18 per cent above LPA; for North West India, it was 46.9 mm against 19.6 mm, a departure of 139 per cent; for Central India it was 58.9 mm against 43.8 mm with a departure of 34 per cent while for the South Peninsula, the total rainfall between October 1 to 20 was 136.1 against the normal of 104.7 mm, resulting in a departure of 30 per cent, the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) data showed.

"The Southwest Monsoon is likely to withdraw from the entire country around October 26, and simultaneously, the Northeast Monsoon rains are also likely to commence over Southeast Peninsular India on the same date. As a result, rainfall activity is very likely to increase over south Peninsular India with isolated heavy falls over Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Mahe, Puducherry & Karaikal," the IMD said in a statement.

Isolated to scattered light/moderate rainfall is likely over remaining parts of south Peninsular India including Andaman & Nicobar Islands during the next seven days, the IMD said on Thursday.

A fresh Western Disturbance and its induced system is very likely to affect the Western Himalayan Region and it very likely to cause scattered to fairly widespread light / moderate rainfall / snowfall over Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan & Muzaffarabad and Himachal Pradesh and isolated to scattered rainfall over Uttarakhand during October 22 till 24; isolated to scattered light / moderate rainfall very likely over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, north Rajasthan and northwest Uttar Pradesh and light rainfall over Delhi on October 23 and 24.

Light to moderate isolated / scattered rainfall activity is likely over the Northeastern states and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim during most days of the week, the IMD said, adding, "weather is very likely to be dry over remaining parts of India during most days of the week."