In fact, we could say that the seasonal rainfall deficiency pan India has scored a hat-trick. This statement has been clearly explained in this article.
The rainfall season pan India is divided into four divisions namely:
a) Winter Season (January-February ),
b) Pre-Monsoon Season (March-April-May),
c) Monsoon Season (June-July-August-September)
d) Post-Monsoon Season (October-November-December)
Rainfall amounts vary in these seasons with Monsoon contributing to the highest amount of rainfall. This season sees about 60% of the annual rainfall.
The LPA (long period average) of these seasons would further substantiate this statement as the country receives about 42 mm in Winter Season, 131 mm in the Pre-Monsoon Season, 887 mm in Monsoon Season and 122 mm in Post-Monsoon Season.
The annual rainfall figure varies largely from year to year. It could cross 1500 mm in one year while the next year could see just half the amount. This puts a lot of stress on the resources of the country. Any successive shortage leads to drying up to underground water resources including wells, tube wells, canals and even rivers. Consistent shortages could also lead to loss of moisture from the soil and environment.
Past records show that all the four seasons do not go rain deficient. The year 2002 is the only exception when rains went deficient in all the four seasons. The Winter Season was 9.5% deficit, Pre-Monsoon Season 6.6% deficit, Monsoon Season 21.6% deficit and Post-Monsoon Season 35.9% deficit.
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Back to back droughts for the last 2 years (2014-15) have drained all the resources with Central India being the worst hit. In fact, most parts of the country including Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and the Indo Gangetic plains have received poor Monsoon rains in 2015 followed by similar Northeast Monsoon rains and an equally bad winter season rains in 2016. The last three seasons put together have received the worst rains in the last couple of decades.
Hat-trick of seasonal rainfall deficiency
In the Monsoon Season 2015 (June-July-August-September) the cumulative rainfall deficiency had mounted to 14.3%. The Post-Monsoon Season 2015 (October-November-December) witnessed 21% rain deficiency. This was followed by an extremely poor Winter Season in 2016 when the rainfall deficiency touched 57%.
A similar situation was witnessed in the year 2014. Monsoon Season recorded -12% rainfall, Post-Monsoon Season saw -30% rainfall and Winter Season of 2015 recorded -8.5% rainfall.
Also read, Monsoon 2015 behaves in truant manner, mystery remains hidden
Now, we can expect a little better situation as March is going to be comparatively wet across the country.
Main Image credit - Business Today
Featured Image credit - Indian Express