Poor rain distribution: 5 districts in Delhi report rainfall deficit

Five districts in Delhi have reported under-rainfall so far this monsoon due to poor rain distribution, according to data from the India Meteorological Department.

On average, Delhi has experienced a 23 per cent lack of rainfall – with a total of 90.4mm of rainfall compared to a normal of 116.9mm since June 1, when the monsoon season begins.

As of a week ago, on July 5, the city as a whole had recorded a 10 percent excess rainfall. But rain has consistently missed the capital ever since.

The short rain showers on Monday and Tuesday morning – a result of convective activity – remained limited to a few areas.

West Delhi has experienced a 60 per cent rainfall deficit since the start of the monsoon season (54mm of rain versus the normal of 135.8mm).

South West Delhi has recorded a deficit of 51 per cent – with just 59.8mm of rainfall compared to a normal of 122.7mm over the period.

The IMD data showed that Northeast Delhi recorded 43 percent less rainfall than the normal 135.6mm.

The rainfall deficit in Central and South Delhi was 29 percent and 22 percent, respectively. Central Delhi received 96.3mm of rain and South Delhi 106.1mm since June 1st.

East Delhi has received 61 percent more rainfall than normal at 218.1 mm.

The IMD has had a hard time making accurate predictions about rainfall in the capital. Despite favorable conditions, Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi’s main weather station, has recorded just 4.4mm of rainfall over the past 11 days.

Since June 1, 146.1 mm of precipitation has been recorded against a normal of 143.9 mm. Of this, 117.2mm fell in just 24 hours ending on July 1 at 8:30am.

When it finally rained in parts of Delhi on Monday after a series of bad forecasts, weather forecasters said the rain came from convection clouds and it is difficult to make an accurate prediction of their formation.

“We knew about the possibility of convective cloud formation. High humidity and high temperatures prevailed, but it is difficult to make a micro-prediction as to the exact location and intensity. So you can’t be sure if it’s raining in a certain place. said Mahesh Palawat, Vice President (Meteorology and Climate Change), Skymet Weather.

Convective clouds develop vertically through convection – warm air rises and cools to form clouds. Those clouds break up after short and intense rains, the meteorologist said.

Non-convective precipitation events are less intense but last longer and result in more uniform precipitation.

Although monsoons are associated with non-convective precipitation, “in the last 10 years, due to climate change, we observe convective development in the monsoon season,” Palawat said.

Convective activity is generally reported during the pre-monsoon season.

(Only the headline and image of this report may have been edited by Business Standard contributors; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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