Withdrawal of monsoon from Gujarat delayed for 9 th consecutive year, no signs of it happening anytime soon

Gandhinagar: The withdrawal of Monsoon from Gujarat has been delayed for the ninth consecutive time in a row now and there was no likelihood of it happening anytime soon.

IMD center Ahmedabad Director Jayanta Sarkar said that there was no likelihood of withdrawal taking place anytime soon.

Notably, the normal time of withdrawal of monsoon in Gujarat begins from September 15 and ends in a week or so but since 2011 it is continuously delaying. In 2017, the last monsoon rain in the state was recorded till as late as November 3 but despite longer period of monsoon, the state had received only 76.69% rain while the year before that ie., in 2017 it was over 110%.
The onset of withdrawal of monsoon in the state, which starts from Kutch on September 15 and the process goes on for several days, is remaining delayed for past many years.

Monsoon which made a somewhat delayed entry to arrive in this western state on June 25 this year is likely to make a record with regard to rainfall this year. It has so far received 125.64% (1025.19mm) of rain which was the highest of any year after 2013 (when it was almost 148%).

Region-wise North Gujarat has so far received 96.25% (683 mm), Kutch, notorious for scanty rain has got the maximum in percentage terms at 144.31% (578mm). East Central Gujarat has got 117.49%(954mm), Saurashtra 124.51% (826mm) and South Gujarat has got 137.41% (1948mm).

District-wise Valsad has received the maximum in terms volume with 2987 mm (135.69%). In percentage terms Chhota Udepur at 163.95% (1662 mm) was highest rain receiver district. Banaskantha is the lowest rain receiver both in terms of percentage as well as volume 89.04% (554 mm).

Last year when Monsoon had made entry on June 22 and withdrew completely by October 5. Gujarat had received only 76.69% of its average rain.

Kutch region had seen only 26.51% and two of its talukas had seen less than 10% with Lakhpat seeing as low as 3.44%. Rapar had seen 5.65%. The third such taluka (only three were in single digit figures) was Vav in Banaskantha district of North Gujarat with 5.56%. North Gujarat as a region had also seen only 48.06% rain.

East Central Gujarat had seen 71.55%, Saurashtra 72.93% and South Gujarat 96.45%. In percentage terms Gir Somnath with 139.85% was at the top while in actual amount term Valsad with 2271 mm was number one.

In year 2017 when Monsoon had made entry on June 12 and withdrew completely by first half of October, the total rainfall was more than 110%.

Notably since 2011, the withdrawal of monsoon was happening in delayed manner every year.

This year the rain so far was highest after 2013. According to the available official data with the State Emergency Operation Center here in 2015 the total rain percentage was 81.57% (650.17 mm), in 2016 it was 91.17% (726.70mm), in 2017, 112.18% (908.69mm) and in 2018 it was only 76.73% (637.73 mm).

DeshGujarat