Maharashtra records 84 pc surplus rain in June

The rainfall associated with the southwest monsoon over Maharashtra will now take a brief break across the state.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast below normal rainfall mainly over Marathwada till June 25. All the other three meteorological subdivisions — Konkan, Madhya Maharashtra and Vidarbha, will continue to receive light to moderate intensity rainfall.

The Met office has warned of lightning and thundershowers over Gondia, Chandrapur, Bhandara and Nagpur districts on Wednesday and Thursday.

“The westerly winds blowing in from the Arabian Sea could face some barriers and will not be able to cause much rainfall over Konkan and adjoining Madhya Maharashtra this week,” said an official from Regional Meteorological Centres, New Delhi.

An offshore trough continues to run between Maharashtra and north Kerala, which will bring heavy spells over coastal Karnataka and Goa this week. A cyclonic circulation prevails over the south Gujarat region.

So far, the rainfall over the state has been appreciable and till June 20, Maharashtra had recorded 212 mm, which was 84 per cent over its normal quantum for this time of June.

All subdivisions have recorded rainfall under the ‘large excess’ category. The rainfall till June 20 here was — Konkan and Goa (94 per cent), Madhya Maharashtra (22 per cent), Marathwada (74 per cent) and Vidarbha (116 per cent).

All districts — barring Nandurbar (- 46 per cent), Akola (- 40 per cent) and Dhule (- 29 per cent), have reported either normal or above normal rainfall this June.

The kharif sowing season began last week and at most places, saplings are still in their nursery stages and transplantation is yet to begin. Farming has advanced, however, in Konkan, where rainfall has been continuous and spatially well distributed.

According to the latest forecast, rainfall over Vidarbha will improve around June 25 when a fresh, feeble low pressure system will develop in the Bay of Bengal.