This July, monsoon fails to wash away previous records of showers

PUNE: The monsoon’s performance in the city this July failed to wash away past rain records despite heavy showers across the state.

The city recorded 175.6mm rain this month — lower than monthly precipitation in eight years since 2007. Only three years — 2008, 2012 and 2015 — during this 12-year period recorded less volume of rain.



This July recorded the lowest rainfall for the month in Pune in three years. In July 2015, there was only 62mm.

The July rainfall was over 200mm in six years since 2007. Years 2017 and 2013 recorded above-normal July rain, but below 200mm — at 194mm and 191.9mm, respectively.

The normal rain quota in July for Pune is 187.2mm. Met department officials claimed that the 175.6mm rainfall this July was near-normal as even in case of districts, a -20% deficiency is considered normal.

P Guhathakurta, head of the climate data management and services division, India Meteorological Department (IMD), said some regions in the country had recorded a decreasing trend in July rainfall, though further analysis is needed to see if Pune city also recorded such a trend. “Pune, being in the rain shadow region, receives less rainfall in general. During July first week and thereafter, parts of Maharashtra received good rainfall. Pune received light to moderate rain,” said Guhathakurta.

“Light to moderate rain is good for dam storage as well as agricultural activities. The 200-mm-plus rain that Pune has recorded during previous years in July may be because of one or two spells of heavy rain during the month in those years. Such spells tend to take the total rainfall quantum beyond 200mm at times,” said Guhathakurta, adding that the city had no heavy spells this July.

A K Srivastava, head of climate monitoring and analysis at IMD, Pune, said one of the characteristics of monsoon is the year-to-year rainfall variation. “A plus or minus 20% variation is considered normal and is a part of the natural variability. of monsoon. Station-wise, this variation is likely to be more as it is a smaller area in comparison to a district,” he said.