Monsoon season ends on a high, India records 6% surplus rain: IMD

The southwest monsoon official ended the 2022 season with a cumulative rainfall of 925 millimeters, which is 6 per cent more than normal.

The rains that started on a moderate note in June is, however, not expected to go away in a hurry.

According to the latest forecast by India Meteorological Department (IMD), a cyclonic circulation over the Bay of Bengal, triggered by a remnant weather system of super typhoon Noru, is set to delay the monsoon withdrawal.

Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director general of IMD, said the withdrawal of the monsoon, which began on September 20, was likely to be stalled till October 13, due to the existence of the weather system over Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. This was a fourth successive year for the country to have witnessed good monsoon rains and the late rally over Gangetic plains is expected to help farmers during the Rabi season, the met depart­ment hoped. Mohapatra said the September rains saw 224 stations reporting very heavy rainfall events (115.6 mm to 204 mm) and 22 extremely heavy (more than 204.5 mm).

Monsoon in facts

Monsoon June 1 to September 30 — 925 mm, up 6 per cent from average.

Number of districts with deficient rainfall*—- 28%

Final Kharif acreage —– 110.27 million hectares, down 0.85% from last year

Final Paddy acreage — 40.28 million hectares, down 4.76% from last year

Reservoir Levels** — 154.18 BCM, 108% of last year’s live storage

Kharif foodgrains output*** —- 149.92 million tonnes, down 3.92% from last year

*Out of 703 districts

**As on September 29, 2022 in Billion Cubic Meters (BCM)

***As per first advanced estimate

Source: IMD, Agriculture Minister and Central Water Commission (CWC)