Waxing and waning phase of Monsoon rain in Gujarat

It’s a waxing and waning phase of Monsoon in Gujarat with large fluctuations over the period. While 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th were the waxing phase for the state, 6^th and 7^th were the waning period and thereafter went back to the waxing phase. On the 3^rd of September the Gujarat region had 147% excess daily rains, while Saurashtra and Kutch was excess by 91%. Good showers continued the next day as well, Gujarat experienced excess rain of 243%; Saurashtra and Kutch were even higher at 376%. On the 5^th, the sub-division of Gujarat received 27.9 mm of rain against the day’s average of 6.5 mm, leading to an excess rain of 329%. Saurashtra and Kutch recorded 30.2 mm of rain against the normal of 2.8 mm and thereby, experiencing excess rains of 979%. 6^th and 7^th of September were relatively dry days with Saurashtra and Kutch being 100% deficit on both the days. Gujarat on the other hand, was 84% deficit on 6^th and 100% dry the next day. Rain picked up in Gujarat from the 8^th, in view of the well-marked low pressure area over west Madhya Pradesh and adjoining southeast Rajasthan. In last 24 hours, Ahmedabad received 91 mm, Baroda 160.4 mm, Deesa 132 mm, Idar 217.8 mm. However, rain has been less over Saurashtra and Kutch Monsoon in Gujarat This year Southwest Monsoon neither had a good beginning nor a decent progress in most parts of the country including Gujarat. Till 9th of July, cumulative rain deficit in the sub-division of Saurashtra & Kutch remained 83% and Gujarat region 92%. The state showed some improvement by the 13th as the deficit reduced to 75% over Saurashtra & Kutch, and 91% in the entire state. Good showers brought down the rain deficiency significantly and by the 20th, the deficit in the state came down to 61% and to 57% over Saurashtra & Kutch. Around that time rain deficit came down appreciably over Central and East India as well. The cumulative rain for the monsoon season ending on July was 30% deficit for Gujarat and 36% deficit for Saurashtra & Kutch. As August approached, the two adjacent sub-divisions began to exhibit contrasting rainfall pattern as Gujarat suffered a rain deficiency of 44% whereas Saurashtra & Kutch had normal rainfall of 19% for the month. The cumulative rain by the end of August turned out to be 32% deficit for Gujarat and a normal of (-)16% (± 19% considered normal) for Saurashtra & Kutch. Contrasting features of Saurashtra & Kutch The agro intensive state of India, Gujarat, is highly dependent on Monsoon rain as the winter rain here is negligible. The state witnesses high seasonal variability during the Monsoon season and also intense inter-seasonal variability. The adjacent sub-divisions of Gujarat and Saurashtra & Kutch are also not far behind. Though these two are parts of the same state, they have contrasting characteristics in terms of rainfall. On the 2^nd of September, Skymet said that the situation is expected to improve further as September could bring good showers. The situation turned out to be so and as of 8^th of September, Saurashtra & Kutch is just 1% deficit while Gujarat region is 24% deficit.