MC Daily Monsoon Tracker: Rainfall surplus widens to the season's highest level of 7.8%

Rainfall surp;us widens to 7.8%

India’s rainfall surplus widened to 7.8 percent above the long-period average on September 3, the highest this monsoon season, data released by India Meteorological Department (IMD) shows. The previous day it was 7.6 percent above normal.

Nearly 40 percent of the country has received excessive rainfall, while 25 percent of the states and union territories (UTs) remain deficient.

IMD data shows that six of the eight states and UTs in the south and four of the seven states in central India got above-normal rain.

Four each states in the north and the east have a shortfall. Punjab and Haryana have the highest deficit of more than 25 percent among bigger states.

Kharif sowing picked up as of September 2 and was just 0.8 percent below the average area sown over the last five years (2018-2023). Paddy sowing was 1.8 percent above normal but acreage of pulses lower 8 percent below normal.

Coarse cereals coverage was also higher, while cash crops such as jute and cotton witnessed a decline.

Water levels of reservoirs was 19 percent above the 10-year average on August 29, the Central Water Commission data shows.