Significant reduction in rainfall and cloudless skies; Unusual monsoon in Indian subcontinent?

NEW DELHI: The southwest monsoon has reportedly weakened in India. There was a significant reduction in rainfall in most parts of the country. According to the latest data from the Meteorological Department, there has been a lack of normal rainfall between June 4 and 15. Only 19.2 mm of rainfall was received instead of the normal rainfall of 53.7 mm.

India received 64 per cent less rainfall than expected. The monsoon deficit is more evident in the images taken by the meteorological satellite on June 15. Instead of the extensive cloud cover usually seen during an active monsoon, most of the Indian subcontinent and central India are unusually cloudless.

Only the Himalayan region, Northeast India and parts north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain have significant cloud cover. Similarly, the monsoon over the Arabian Sea is weak. Although the monsoon arrived in Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Central India, the rainfall has been weak compared to previous years. Rainfall is expected to gradually improve by the end of this week.