With lowest August rain in at least 14 years, Delhi records 83% deficit

NEW DELHI: The city has logged just 41.6mm of rainfall in August this year, ending with a rain deficit of 83%. It was the lowest rainfall recorded in the month in at least 14 years, according to IMD's data available from 2009 shows. Data prior to that was unavailable, officials said.
Met officials said the monsoon trough came closer to Delhi on two occasions and most days in August were dry.
Safdarjung, which is the city's base station, managed to receive less than 50mm rainfall as against the month's normal of 247.7mm. August is supposed to receive the highest rainfall in a year as it has the highest long-period average for monthly rainfall in Delhi. Though the city witnessed 16 rainy days this August, they were mostly 'very light' to 'light' showers. No 'moderate' or 'heavy' rain spell was seen this time. Even the highest single-day rainfall was 8.8mm on August 6.
Monsoon trough close to Delhi just twice in August
The city has witnessed a rain deficit of 83% in August this year. Apart from Safdarjung, Palam and Lodhi Road recorded a rain deficit of 49% and 79% in August this year, respectively. Met officials said August was dry as no low pressure system was within 300-400 km periphery of Delhi. Though eight low pressure systems affected parts of the country, none of them impacted Delhi. Besides, no western disturbance interacted with monsoonal system.
RK Jenamani, senior scientist, IMD, said, "Monsoon trough moved closer to Delhi on two occasions this month - August 5-7 and August 14-16. It never remained in the capital in the second-half of the month." He added, "Unlike August 2021, when the city logged 138.8mm rainfall in 24-hour, no intense rain activity happened this time."
The IMD's data shows August 2021 saw a rain deficit of 13% but the month logged 214.5mm rainfall. Despite having the highest month's normal of 247.7mm, Safdarjung was able to surpass the average mark only twice in the past 10 years. It recorded excess rainfall of 321.4 and 378.8mm rainfall in 2013 and 2012, respectively. The city has been recording a rain deficit in August continuously since 2014. The all-time record for highest rainfall in August for Delhi is 583.3mm in 1961.
In contrast to August, July this year saw an excess rainfall of 37%. However, June too saw a rain deficit of 67%. The mean monthly maximum temperature was recorded at 34.5 degrees Celsius, as against the average of 34.1 degrees Celsius.