Weak El Nino conditions likely next month, says IMD weather report

The southwest monsoon, which has been relatively quiet during the week that ended on August 29, isn't expected to show a big improvement in the next fortnight, with rainfall activity likely to be below normal from the second week of September. In its latest weather update, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that there was possibility of development of weak El Niño conditions in the last part of the four-month monsoon season, which began from June. Overall, the monsoon till August 30 has been 6 per cent less than normal, with several districts of north interior Karnataka, Rayalaseema, Bihar, Jharkhand, Saurashtra and Kutch staring at a shortfall. The rainfall, according to agriculture ministry officials, has been well-distributed, though overall quantum might have been low in some regions. This they said won’t have any impact on the overall production of kharif crops in 2018, which is poised for another record. On Tuesday, India said its overall foodgrains production in 2017-18 (July to June) was at an all-time high of 284.83 million tonnes, almost 2 per cent more than the last estimate that came in June, and 9.72 million tonnes more than 2016-17. The rise, however, hasn’t been beneficial for the growers because price of several commodities particularly pulses slumped due to bumper harvest.

Udupi, Idukki record highest rainfall in 2018, serve future warning

Kerala now faces the ravages of the worst monsoon floods in 94 years, with 373 dead and more than 1.2 million in relief camps after 2,378 millimetre (mm) of rain over 81 days between June 1 and August 20, 2018–42% above normal or three times more than the Indian average for that period–according to data from the India aDepartment (IMD).

Kerala is facing its worst flood in 100 years. 80 dams opened, 324 lives lost and 223139 people are in about 1500+ relief camps. Your help can rebuild the lives of the affected. Donate to https://t.co/FjYFEdOsyl #StandWithKerala.

— CMO Kerala (@CMOKerala) August 17, 2018

With extreme weather events and variability increasing in urban and rural India, as IndiaSpend has previously reported, flooding is likely to become more common, the outcomes attributable as much to poor planning as climate change. In Kerala, the monsoons have generally decreased, and that was a reason the state was unprepared for such a ferocious monsoon, an IMD official told the Times of India on August 21, 2018.

Another dust storm may soon hit UP, Rajasthan; toll at 109, Agra worst hit

A severe dust storm followed by thunder showers hit parts of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan overnight, killing more than 100 people and leaving a trail of destruction. Houses collapsed and trees and poles were uprooted in the storm that also led to power outages. In Uttar Pradesh, the high-intensity dust storm left 73 people dead and 91 injured. In Rajasthan, 36 were killed, taking the combined death toll to 109. About 100 people were injured as winds over 100 kmph hit the region around 7 pm on Wednesday.

In UP, Agra district was the worst hit, accounting for 43 deaths and injuries to 35 others, officials said. Besides Agra, the other affected UP districts were Bijnor, Bareli, Saharanpur, Pilibhit, Firozabad, Chitrakoot, Muzaffarnagar, Rae Bareli and Unnao. In Rajasthan, Dholpur district was the worst affected with 17 killed.

Hemant Kumar Gera, Secretary, Disaster Management and Relief, said contigency funds have been released to the respective district administration. He said Rs 400,000 will be given to family members of deceased, Rs 200,000 to persons sustaining 60 per cent injuries and Rs 60,000 to people with 40 to 50 per cent injuries.

'Above normal' temperatures seen in most of India between April-June: IMD

The India Meteorological Department today warned that the average temperatures in most parts of India is expected to be "above normal" between April and June, the period it considers the actual summer season.

The IMD, however, said the temperatures in east, east-central and southern India, which include Odisha, coastal Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, are likely to be lower than the usual, indicating that the onset of monsoon will be on time.

The "above normal" average temperatures prediction suggests that the warming of the summer season in northern and central India would be a continuation of the pattern seen over the past few years.

Last year was recorded as the hottest year so far by the IMD and other meteorological institutes across the country.