Madhya Pradesh in central India gets about 1371mm of rain on average. Given its subtropical climate, the state experiences hot, dry summers and heatwaves occur at regular frequency.
This year, both the IMD subdivisions in Madhya Pradesh experienced normal pre-monsoon rainfall this year. While West MP got 12% excess rain, East MP got 1% excess rain until May 29, 2019. In 2018, West and East UP had got 64% and 40% deficient rain respectively in the pre-monsoon season.
The pre-monsoon season is the period from March 1 to May 31.
From June 1 to June 6, Madhya Pradesh got 0.5mm rain against the normal of 6mm, i.e. a deficit of 92%. The Indian monsoon officially lasts from June 1 to September 30th every year, so any rain during this period is counted as monsoon rainfall.
Long-term rainfall trends indicate that the monsoon reaches the southern ends of Madhya Pradesh around June 12-15. Last year, i.e. 2018, the monsoon arrived in MP on June 23 according to IMD’s records. Over the last 5 years, the onset date in the state has ranged from June 14-27.
According to The Weather Channel’s monsoon forecast issued on May 31, there is a 70-80% chance of below-normal rainfall in Madhya Pradesh in June. Estimates suggest that quantitatively, the rainfall in June could be 5-10% deficient compared to the historical average for the state.
The Southwest monsoon gives India 80% of its annual rainfall every year. It is also critical for the country’s economy, since its strength will determine the outcome of kharif (summer) crops sown across India.
This year, the southwest monsoon is expected to enter India through Kerala on Saturday, June 8, according to the India Meteorological Department. We will track its movement and its progress towards Madhya Pradesh. Stay tuned to The Weather Channel for rain updates from your city.
