Summary:
Kolkata received just 94.2mm rain last month against a normal of 299.1mm.
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KOLKATA: This June has been the driest in Kolkata and Gangetic Bengal in at least a decade and a half with a wide rain deficit that may persist in July as well, fear weathermen.
While Kolkata clocked a 69% shortfall, Gangetic Bengal ended last month with an arrear of 59%.Slow-moving and inactive monsoon currents are being held responsible for the parched beginning to the rainy season that has spawned insufficient rain across the country with the national deficit touching 33% for June.
Kolkata received just 94.2mm rain last month against a normal of 299.1mm.“Monsoon is driven by low-pressures and depressions that trigger heavy showers and keep the rain count ticking.
This time, our region has had just one low-pressure so far, which remains active but has caused little rain in Kolkata and south Bengal. In June, Kolkata usually receives two-three heavy spells of rain but there was none last month.
We need at least two-three heavy spells this month to reach the normal mark for July, but that may not be enough to wipe out the seasonal deficit,” said Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) director GK Das.
Gangetic Bengal received 109.1mm rain in June while the normal is 265.3mm.
Monsoon set in more than 10 days behind schedule in Gangetic Bengal last month.
It was stalled by the impact of cyclone Vayu that hit the Gujarat coast and sucked out moisture from the monsoon currents rendering them weak and inactive.
Even after the currents started moving, systems were absent.
“There were a few locally generated thunderstorms that failed to generate heavy showers.