51% Rain Deficit Challenges Jharkhand, Monsoon Yet to Gather Pace

Jharkhand grapples with a 51% rain deficit, despite the onset of monsoon, leaving 23 districts parched.

RANCHI – The onset of monsoon has brought little relief to the state of Jharkhand, as it continues to face a significant rainfall deficit of 51%. This shortfall in the expected rainfall has left 23 out of the 24 districts in the state grappling with a water shortage.

Monsoon’s Late Onset

The IMD’s Ranchi Meteorological Centre had earlier predicted light to moderate showers over Jharkhand. However, the state’s rainfall deficit stands at 51% with just one day remaining in June, the first month of the monsoon season.

Rainfall Received and Expected

Against the expected normal rainfall of 170.3 mm for the season, Jharkhand has received a meagre 84.3 mm so far. The district of Simdega is the only one among all districts in the state that is not facing a rain deficit.

Monsoon’s Current State

The Northern Limit of Monsoon (NLM) was reported to be passing through Jodhpur, Sikar, Narnaul, and Firozpur as of today. Additionally, a low-pressure area has been observed over north Chhattisgarh and its vicinity with an associated cyclonic circulation reaching up to 7.6 Km above mean sea level. This system is expected to move towards north Madhya Pradesh in the coming days.

Today, an east-west trough extended from northwest Rajasthan to northeast Bay of Bengal, crossing south Haryana, south Uttar Pradesh, the low-pressure area over north Chhattisgarh, south Jharkhand, south Gangetic West Bengal, and northwest Bay of Bengal up to 0.9 Km above the mean sea level.

In the wake of these weather conditions, it remains to be seen whether July will usher in the much-needed showers in Jharkhand.