Lagatar24 Desk
The average maximum temperature in August 2021 was the third-highest during the 1901-2021 period. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the lowest rainfall was recorded in August this year in the past 19 years since 2002.
Two major spells of weak monsoon prevailed over the country from August 9-16 and August 23-27 when northwest, central and adjoining peninsular and west coast of India received subdued rainfall.
“During August 2021, rainfall over the country as a whole was below Long Period Average (LPA) by minus 24%. It is also lowest August rainfall in last 19 years, since 2002,” the IMD said.
The Southwest monsoon season officially commences from June 1 and lasts till September 30. The month of June recorded 10% more rainfall, but both July and August clocked deficiency of 7 & 24 percent respectively, according to the IMD data.
The IMD had predicted that the rainfall activity was expected to be normal during August. It has now predicted above-normal precipitation in September.
The formation of less number of low pressure systems and their lesser number of days compared to the climatology and absence of their longer westward movements during the month of August 2021 contributed to the large deficient rainfall in Central India as well as all India, the IMD said.
It said negative Indian Ocean Dipole over tropical Indian Ocean, unfavorable for Indian monsoon prevailed throughout the month of August, which also contributed to deficient rainfall over India in the month.
