'Low rainfall not abnormal'

This year, the country received 23 per cent less rainfall than the national average of 89cm. This is the lowest rainfall in the last decade. However, Dr Medha Khole, director, weather forecasting, India Meteorological Department (IMD), Pune, said the low rainfall is not abnormal. "Inter-annual or year to year variability can't be abnormal," she remarked.



Below average
Khole stated that last year, India recorded a rainfall of 2 per cent below average. "Only middle-Maharashtra recorded average rainfall this year," she said. She added, "Every year, monsoon starts its withdrawal on September 1, but this time, it began on September 25. So, the monsoons will make an exit on October 6," she said.

Dr D Sivananda Pai, director of the National Climate Centre, which is a part of the IMD, accepted that the rain forecasts made by Met were way off the mark. "IMD had predicted 93 per cent of the average rainfall, but this drastically dipped to 77 per cent," he said.

Pune received 71 cm rainfall, which is 30 per cent above the average of 55 cm. However, Pune district received 66cm, which is 28 per cent less than the average of 91 cm.