Pune district records 66% surplus rainfall till July 17 this monsoon

PUNE: With 572.9mm rainfall from June 1 to July 17, Pune recorded the largest surplus rainfall among the districts in the leeward side of the Western Ghats in Maharashtra this monsoon.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) data revealed that Pune district received a significant 228.3mm extra rain over the normal rainfall of 344.6mm till July 17. Pune has recorded more surplus rainfall quantum than any district in the leeward side of the Western Ghats.

A look at districts around Pune does not throw a similar picture.Ahmednagar received an excess of just 3.5mm rain up till now, Nashik 43.4mm, Satara 54mm and Kolhapur 163mm. All districts, except Pune, on the leeward side of the Western Ghats are currently either in the normal or deficient category.
Districts in the leeward or eastern side of the Western Ghats (like Pune, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Nashik and Jalgaon, among others) generally have to contend with less rainfall as most of the rain-bearing winds from the Arabian Sea tend to give much of the rain over districts (like Mumbai, Thane) on the windward side or western parts of the Western Ghats.
In terms of percentage, Pune district has the highest excess rain in the state at 66%, while suburban Mumbai has recorded 48% excess rain till now. Palghar experienced 45% extra rainfall and Thane 31%. The districts around Pune, such as Satara, Nashik and Ahmednagar, also received good downpour but their rain has been only normal with a surplus ranging from 2-15%.
This monsoon has been different for Pune with continuous rain till a few days ago. Anupam Kashyapi, head of weather, IMD, Pune, told TOI that Pune district received rain during June-end, which covered the deficit for the entire month in a matter of three to four days.
“Pune is the only district currently painted deep blue on the IMD district rainfall map of Maharashtra, which indicates ‘large excess’ rainfall during a period. Large excess rain is applied to a district when the rain over normal is 60% or above,” he said.
He said overall, Konkan and Madhya Maharashtra received good rainfall during most of the season till now. Weather systems like upper air circulation, in conjunction with strong westerly winds, pumped in more moisture over Konkan and Mumbai. Pune, which is very close to Mumbai, benefited too.
“Most of the rain in the state this season up till now was confined to north Maharashtra, particularly north Konkan, including Mumbai, Thane and Palghar, as well as north central Madhya Maharashtra, including Pune,” added Kashyapi.
J R Kulkarni, chairman, India Meteorological Society (IMS), said, “All districts on the eastern side of Maharashtra, mainly in Vidarbha and Marathwada, and some in Madhya Maharashtra, are deficient. Sangli, to the south of Pune, is also deficient. Some regions adjacent to Western Ghats, like Pune, Kolhapur, Nashik and Satara, got good rain this season, but none as good as Pune in terms of the quantum of excess rains,” he said.
Kulkarni said an offshore trough had formed around 50km from the coast earlier in the season. “Cloud development was continuous over the coastal region during that time. These clouds were travelling all the way to the east. Once they came to the Western Ghats region, they moved further upward and gave heavy rain to locations in the windward side of the Ghats. These clouds travelled further eastward and gave rain to districts like Pune, Satara, Nashik and Kolhapur,” he said.