Rains play catch up, deficit reduces

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Southwest monsoon seems to be doing some real catch up. Thanks to profuse rainfall during the last week, a rainfall deficit which was nearly 40 per cent 10 days ago has been reduced to 25 per cent. With more rains predicted in the last few days of the season, weather experts predict that the deficit could be brought within the 10-15 per cent range. A sudden bout of rainfall that began on September 5, and which has sustained till Septe-mber 22, has brought some cheer to the agriculture and power sector.

It has paved the way for the second planting of paddy seedlings in Palakkad. “There was a fear that a long dry spell will further postpone the second crop. But the rains have suddenly lifted the gloom in the sector,” said Jose Pachakkulam who has nearly five acres of paddy fields in Palakkad.

The power sector, though not seriously affected by the poor rains, too has bounced back. KSEB lLmited’s reservoirs have nearly as much water as in the previous year when the monsoon was healthy. This year, the monsoon has shown a peculiar roller-coaster pattern it has never exhibited before. Though the southwest monsoon is highly unpredictable, it normally adopts what weather experts describe as a “dinosaur” pattern, a mountain-like high in the initial stages and then a tail-like gentle gradient.

This year however, it had four big highs separated by dull stretches. The monsoon began in a reluctant fashion this year; it was far below normal in the initial days. The rains picked up by the end of the first week of June, and then during the week between June 21 and 27 there was a sustained burst of furious rainfall. June 26 registered a record high of 70 mm rainfall, which was more than double the normal during the season. By the last week of June, and for more than a week in July, there was a prolonged lull. The state is now passing through the fourth high of the season.