Northeast India is one of the two heaviest rainfall pockets (other being Western Ghats) of the country. It is a weather sensitive pocket and is specially known for deluge on account of incessant rains. But in the recent past, the region has been observing below normal rainfall, both in pre-monsoon and Southwest Monsoon season, albeit with few exceptions.
The onset of Monsoon in Northeast normally coincides with Kerala and within 5 days speedily covers the entire region. This part of the country receives rain for the entire month of September and at least for the first 10 days of October. The normal date for the withdrawal of Monsoon from East and Northeast is 15th of October.
Since Northeast India witnesses heavy downpour during the Monsoon months, these places generally have the capacity to absorb any small deficiency. Monthly average rainfall of several places even runs into four digits due to its mountainous terrain with varying heights from valleys to high hills.
Rain deficiency in Northeast
In Northeast India, the sub-division of NMMT (comprising of the states of Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya and Tripura) witnessed a rain deficiency of 43%, by the end of June. These states continue to be deficit by 28%. Arunachal Pradesh is near normal with a deficiency of just 6%, while Sub Himalayan West Bengal is deficit by 11%.
This Monsoon season did not even witness any major episode of flooding. Only during the break monsoon condition, Northeast India, Sikkim and Sub Himalayan West Bengal received heavy showers.
Remnants of Typhoon Kalmaegi will work in tandem with the low pressure area over northwest and adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal off Odisha coast, and bring good showers over East and Northeast India for the next couple days. The system will track towards Jharkhand, Bihar and then re-curve towards Northeast India.
