Most rainfall deficit week of March

The weather in the month of March has been different than usual this time. Three consecutive weeks – February 26 to March 4, March 5 to March 11 and March 12 to March 18 – of excess rain have been observed during this month. The temperatures have also been recording below normal at many places, particularly the day temperatures, which is not the characteristic of March Month.

But now there has been a lull in the weather and the week from March 19 to March 25 has been highly deficit. The cumulative rainfall has only been 0.8 mm against the weekly average of 7.8 mm. Twenty two sub-divisions, which is about 80% of the country have observed a deficit of 100%. Punjab, Haryana, West and East Uttar Pradesh, East Rajasthan, West Rajasthan, Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada, Telangana and Tamil Nadu are some pockets that are 100% deficit. While 13 sub-divisions that include South Interior and North interior Karnataka, Odisha, Assam and Meghalaya and Himachal Pradesh are scanty (-60% to -99%).

Coastal Karnataka with a shortage of 8% (+19% to -19% is considered normal) is the only sub-division that has experienced normal rainfall. In fact the coastal regions have also faired very badly this week. For instance coastal Andhra Pradesh and Konkan and Goa are 100% deficit.

However, with another spell of rain expected across large parts of the country from March 28 till April 3, we expect the rainfall figures to improve this week. The spell is likely to be widespread and prolonged, especially for the northern and eastern parts of the country.