Monsoon deficit comes down to 17%

A week of vigorous rainfall has helped bring down the monsoon deficit
to 17 per cent in Kerala as on July 8, according to hydrology data
released by India Meteorology Department (IMD) on Thursday. The week
ending July 8 witnessed 24 per cent excess rainfall. Against a normal
of 203.5 mm, the State received an area weighted rainfall of 253.4 mm
during the week. At the district level, rainfall is excess by eight
per cent in Kozhikode. It is close to normal in Alappuzha (minus four
per cent), Kannur (minus one per cent), Ernakulam (minus three per
cent) and Thrissur (minus three per cent). Deficiency is 23 per cent
in Idukki, 17 per cent in Kasaragod, 39 per cent in Kollam, 17 per
cent in Kottayam, 28 per cent in Malappuram, 21 per cent in Palakkad,
18 per cent in Pathanamthitta, 44 per cent in Thiruvananthapuram and
42 per cent in Wayanad. The IMD forecast on Thursday said that the
active spell along the west coast would continue for three or four
days. Numerical weather prediction models also suggested a low
pressure system over the Bay of Bengal by July 12 to prolong the
spell.

The Hindu, July 10