November is known for its good weather conditions with minimal traces of precipitation in north India. Usually we have a fairly long phase of clear skies during the transition period between monsoon and winter. However, there has hardly been a significant transition period this year. Monsoon is still retreating and winter seems to have arrived already in many parts of northern India. This time monsoon has more or less extended till the commencement of winter and there is still a high level of moisture in the lower layer of the atmosphere. Moreover, rainfall and snow in the higher reaches of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand further decreased temperatures in the plains.
Considering the weather conditions at present, we could expect an early fall of winter this year. The moderate temperatures are silently making their way to the winter season with erratic weather conditions. The changed weather conditions may also make the winter season comparatively more chilly.
The higher level of moisture in the atmosphere due to an extended southwest monsoon and higher water storage level in most of the reservoirs is a good sign for Rabi crops. The farmers need to quickly take advantage of the fact that the fields are still moist and pick up plantation of Rabi crops. Backed by reports from the Ministry of Agriculture, we can say that the farmers have already pulled up their socks as the area covered under Rabi crops by November 1, 2012 was around 29 lakh hectares, while this year it was 64.77 lakhhectares.
On the other hand, the northeast monsoon season is the most important period of rainfall over south peninsula. Interiors of Tamil Nadu receive about 48% of the annual rainfall in this season, with November being the rainiest. However, this year the northeast monsoon is yet to show its full impact, causing a tense situation for paddy farmers.
picture courtesy- nytimes