Monsoon rains swing from deficit to surplus in Telangana

Exceptional heavy rainfall: IMD 

♦ Laxmidevipeta (Mulugu): 65 cm

♦ Chityal (Jayshankar Bhupalpally): 62 cm

♦ Regonda (Jayshankar Bhupalpally):47 cm

♦ Ghanpur (Jayshankar Bhupalpally): 46 cm

♦ Parkal (Hanumakonda):46 cm

♦ Mogullapalle (Jayshankar Bhupalpally): 43 cm

♦ Mogullapally, Karkagudem- 39 cm each- one village completely submerged, and Army rescued villagers by helicopter

Monsoon fury in districts

Jayshankar Bhupalpally: 897.5 mm

Warangal: 852.1 mm

Hanumakonda: 844.8 mm

Mulugu: 842.1 mm

Nizamabad: 753.6 mm

Hyderabad: Incessant rains in the last two weeks and unprecedented downpour in several districts left Telangana battered. Following the intense rainfall experienced in July, the south-west monsoon is expected to transition into a break phase during early August. This shift occurs due to the monsoon trough relocating and will be centered around the foothills of the Himalayas. As a consequence, the monsoon’s progression towards the southern parts of India is likely to slow down and only few districts in Telangana may experience light to moderate rainfall.

There is a possibility of a revival in rainfall activity due to the formation of Low-Pressure Areas (LPAs). This revival is expected to occur mainly in the third week of August. The presence of LPAs can lead to another bout of rainfall in the State, bringing renewed precipitation and potentially leading to significant amount of rainfall in several regions.

Speaking to The Hans India, Sravani, Scientist, India Meteorological Department, Hyderabad (IMD-H), said, “There is no need for concern even if the monsoon enters a break phase or experiences reduced rainfall. July, often referred to as the principal monsoon month, has already witnessed sufficient rainfall, which is highly beneficial for sowing operations and agriculture.

Additionally, thunderstorm activity is expected to be prevalent in most parts of the State in the coming days. These thunderstorms can bring localised heavy rainfall, further aiding agricultural activities and water resources.”

The copious rainfall received in July has effectively eliminated any possibility of drought, and the presence of El Nino is unlikely to exert any influence on this year’s monsoon. With the substantial rainfall experienced in July, the water availability for agricultural and other purposes is expected to be sufficient, mitigating any concerns about drought conditions, she added.

Between July 17 and July 28, two LAPs formed over Telangana, brought a remarkable change in rainfall patterns, which led to surplus rainfall across the State barring Nalgonda district.

L V Rao, a senior official from IMD-H, said, “Before the first low-pressure area’s arrival on July 17, the State experienced a rainfall deficit of 54 percent. However, in a span of merely 11 days, from July 17 to July 28, Telangana received a substantial 362 mm of rain. This influx of rainfall resulted in an impressive 65 percent excess rainfall, effectively offsetting the previous deficit.”

During the cumulative months of June and July 2023, the State has received 56 percent of excess rainfall. Normally, the expected rainfall for this period would be 349.9 mm. However, the actual rainfall recorded during these two months amounted to a substantial 546.5 mm.