April 2016 has turned out to be the driest one in the last many years. Accordingly, it was also one of the hottest on record with temperatures continuously settling above 40 degree Celsius at several places. Heatwave like conditions did not even spare the hills of North India. On the other hand, Northeast India remained cool with rains lashing the region throughout the month of April.
Record-breaking temperatures were witnessed in several areas in the country with Bangalore losing its pleasant weather crown. Heatwave in Telangana and Odisha claimed hundreds of lives as well.
Pre-Monsoon showers were almost absent from the country. Cumulatively, India received 30.8 mm of rainfall against the normal of 38.9 mm. This amounted to 19% of rainfall deficiency, which actually falls in the ambit of normal rains. However, the situation was grim as most of the contribution came from Northeast India. North, Central and West India performed extremely poorly in terms of pre-Monsoon showers.
The table below shows the cumulative rainfall figures for the month of April in several cities of India against their normal averages. (figures in millimeters)
Looking at the figures above we could say that Northeast India received very heavy showers and most of the places like Guwahati and Silchar exceeded the monthly average rainfall.
The subdivision of Assam and Meghalaya witnessed 75% excess rains. Andhra Pradesh received excess rains to the tune of 15%. On the other hand, Punjab was rain deficit to the tune of 94% and East Uttar Pradesh was 100% rain deficit. All the subdivisions in Northwest India remained parched. West Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh did not receive any rainfall at all.
This April, 27 subdivisions of the country received scanty or deficit rains while 4 subdivisions receive no rain at all. In the year 2014 when the pan India deficiency was 42% in April, 18 subdivisions witnessed normal rains. But, this year only 4 subdivisions recorded normal rains.
April 2012 had witnessed 24% excess rains while the next year was 21% rain deficit. Even then, in 2013, normal rains were recorded by 5 subdivisions. In 2014, the pan India rains were deficit to the tune of 42%. However, 12 subdivisions received normal rains.
Image Credit - thehindubusinessline.com
