South-West Monsoon Ends Officially; Heavy North-East Monsoon Signals Its Arrival

India predicts “normal” monsoon showers every year but weather conditions add elements of uncertainty. The 2017 South-West Monsoon- which officially ended in September revealed how erratic the rainfall has been this season, both in terms of geographical spread and time. Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) revealed that the cumulative rainfall from June to September 2017 was five per cent below the fifty-year average and two per cent below last year. The June and July rainfall indicated that most parts of the country received above normal rains (3 per cent), but rainfall during August and September was below normal (12.5 per cent). The South-West Monsoon 2017 has resulted in gaping rainfall deficits in several regions across the country. Some of the states that witnessed the same includes; Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, New Delhi, Chandigarh, Nagaland and Manipur. The inconsistent rainfall had dry spells in Central and Southern regions in August that resulted in low water storage levels and limited access to irrigation water, reports global agriculture information network of USDA.

Also Read: “Monsoon 2017: Yet Another Dismal Forecast”

Kharif On A Roll

With the initial onset of monsoons that swept across large swathes of India, Kharif planting got a further fillip, as overall planting acreage increased by three percent compared to normal area. In comparison to last year, the pronounced acreage increase was for cotton (19 per cent) and sugarcane (9 per cent), while acreage reductions occurred for oilseeds (9 per cent) and pulses (4 per cent).

The North-East Monsoon: A Heavy Rainfall Predicted    

According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), the ‘monsoon in reverse’ would set in over the South by October 26, 2017. Heavy rainfall is expected to lash parts of Puducherry, Kerala and Tamil Nadu signalling the arrival of the North-East monsoons.