PUNE: India could have had some relief from the scorching heat early this summer, had it received its fair share of premonsoon showers.
As heat singes parts of the country, India Meteorological Department (IMD) data revealed that the country received the lowest pre-monsoon rain in the past four years during March this year.
During previous years, since 2014, India received an excess of March rainfall. March 2017, however, witnessed deficient rain with core heatwave zone, including Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada, Delhi, Harayana, Punjab, among others, being in the "red". During previous years, these regions had received an excess of pre-monsoon showers, which had to some extent checked the raging temperature.
India ended up with an 8% deficit in its pre-monsoon showers in March this year. Though this deficit may not mean so much at an-all India level, the core heatwave zone in the country recorded the maximum deficiency in the month, with subdivisions like central Maharashtra recording "large deficiency", followed by high deficiency in Vidarbha, Delhi, Harayana, Punjab, west and east UP.
On the other hand, in 2014, 2015 and 2016, many of these subdivisions had recorded normal to excess pre-monsoon showers in March. Experts said pre-monsoon showers on and off tend to reduce the intensity of heat, when temperatures temporarily subside.
Please click here to read more.