Maharashtra: Annual rain over state decreasing, finds IMD study

As much as 89 per cent of the annual rainfall that Maharashtra receives is between June amd Septembe — during the Southwest monsoon season. Of this, the highest rainfall is received during July (33 per cent) and August (28 per cent), while rainfall contribution in June is 21 per cent and September is 18 per cent.

The total number of rainy days in a year, according to the study, has fallen over districts of Pune, Solapur, Kolhapur, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Jalna, Beed, Hingoli, Nanded, Yavatmal and Wardha. These districts, Met officials say, have also been seeing a decline in heavy rainfall days during June to September.

On the contrary, there are more number of both rainy as well as heavy rainfall days recorded over Nandurbar, Jalgaon, Raigad, Kolhapur and Bhandara, during the monsoon season as well as annually, the study suggests.

The study found that districts under Konkan sub-division received maximum rainfall (2,361 – 3,222 mm), whereas districts in Madhya Maharashtra and Marathwada recorded lowest rainfall (454mm – 600mm) in the monsoon season, as observed between 1989 and 2018. Out of the 36 districts in the state, Sangli received 454 mm during June to September – the lowest among all districts. Annually, Ahmednagar district was recorded as receiving the lowest rainfall in the state at 591 mm, as per years considered for the study.

Only Palghar district showed significant increase in the rainfall trend, both seasonally and annually. Districts of Aurangabad and Parbhani showcased significant decline in their annual rainfall, Met officials said.