Second Half of Monsoon May Turn Bleak For South: IMD

VISHAKHAPATNAM: The second half of the Southwest Monsoon is likely to be bleak for the southern peninsula, the IMD stated in an outlook it released for the August-September monsoon period on Monday.

It said that during the second half of the current southwest monsoon season, “normal to above-normal rainfall is very likely over most parts of the subdivisions adjacent to and along the Himalayas, east central India and some parts of east and northeast India.”

‘Below normal rainfall’ is very likely over most parts of the Peninsular India and western parts of northwest and central India. The monthly rainfall over the country as a whole for August 2023 is very likely to be below normal, it said.

During August, 2023, ‘above normal monthly maximum temperatures’ are very likely over most parts of the southern Peninsula, east and  northeast India, and many areas in the western parts of the northwest and central India. Normal to below-normal maximum temperatures are most likely over some areas in north peninsular India, east central India and along the plains of the Himalayas.

Currently, weak El Niño conditions are prevailing over the equatorial Pacific region. The latest models indicate that the El Niño conditions are likely to intensify further and continue up to early next year, the outlook stated.

 During the last four weeks, above average equatorial sea surface temperatures increased across the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, IMD added.