According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), August rainfall this year 2020 has been the highest since 1926 with 32.7 cm or about 27% more than what is normal for the month. In August 1926, the rainfall recorded was 34.8 cm, exceeding the normal by 33%.
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Key-Points
The heavy rain in August was due to several long-lasting low-pressure systems, or rain-bearing winds, that formed in the Bay of Bengal and were vigorous enough to travel all the way from the south-eastern coast up to north-west India.
The surplus rain was primarily in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Odisha.
IMD officials said that though August rainfall was in excess, the figure for this year’s monsoon as a whole were likely to be within the department’s June forecast of a normal (96 to 104% of the long period average) rainfall.
From June to September 6, India had registered 7% more rainfall than what is normal for this period. In the normal course, the monsoon begins its retreat from September 15 and this can go on for nearly a month.
