Country records 25% rain deficit

Pune: In the second week of September i.e. between September 6 and 12, rainfall across the country was recorded 25 per cent deficient. Whereas central India, which also includes Maharashtra, recorded 25 per cent deficient rainfall this week. 

Southern peninsula which includes Kerala, where floods disrupted the normal day-to-day life, also recorded 72 per cent rainfall deficient.

According to the data furnished by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), northwest India recorded a deficient rainfall by 23 per cent. Only east and northeast India recorded five per cent deficient rainfall as expected.

Between June 1 and September 12, the country witnessed eight per cent deficient in rainfall. 

During this time, only south peninsula recorded two per cent excess rainfall. However, northwest India and central India reported four per cent deficient rainfall. East and northeast reported 23 per cent deficient in rainfall.

As on Friday, India Meteorological Department noted that the southwest monsoon has been active over Assam, Meghalaya, sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. It has been subdued over Odisha, Jharkhand, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Goa, Chhattisgarh, coastal and north interior Karnataka and Kerala. 

City weather

Pune city on Friday touched 31.2 degrees Celsius mark with the blazing sun during the afternoon. The night temperature has varied between 17 and 20 degrees Celsius sans rain. 

Speaking about the widespread rainfall before and now scorching sun, Dr Ramchandra Sable, a weather expert, said that these weather anomalies are due to climate change.

“Though there are several factors due to which Kerala faced the floods but now there is a situation where drinking water is a huge issue. Even in Maharashtra, many places have experienced a lot of heat during the day. One of the reasons for this is climate change,” said Sable.

IMD has further predicted a rise in day temperature up to 29 degrees Celsius till September 20 along with one or two spells of rainfall in the city.