Telangana monsoon deficit deepens as strong El Niño bites; Bay low offers hope
Telangana faces a severe monsoon shortfall, with August rainfall 38% below normal and September 79% deficient, amid the strongest El Niño since 1997. A low pressure system in the Bay of Bengal offers hope.
Telangana's monsoon has been unusually dry this year, with rainfall deficits worsening through the season. According to Y.V. Rama Rao, senior weather consultant at the Telangana Development Planning Society, August recorded a 38% shortfall, while September has been even more parched, with a deficit of 79% so far.
The poor rainfall is being driven by a strong El Niño, described as the most intense since 1997. El Niño, a periodic warming of the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, is known to disrupt monsoon patterns over India, often leading to below-normal rainfall.
Despite the grim numbers, there is a glimmer of hope. A low pressure system forming over the Bay of Bengal could bring some relief to the state. Such systems often draw moisture and trigger showers, potentially easing the dry spell.
However, with September already severely deficient, the state will be hoping for a substantial turnaround in the remaining days of the monsoon. The situation underscores the vulnerability of regional agriculture and water resources to global climate phenomena like El Niño.