With 66% rainfall deficit, Maharashtra among driest states in pre-monsoon months

Between March 1 and May 30, Maharashtra recorded only 9.6 mm rain against a normal of 28.2 mm. According to rainfall data provided by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the state’s most parched districts were in Vidarbha and Marathwada.

This was directly reflected in the water stocks in both regions, which stood at 87 per cent and 83 per cent respectively–lower than the stock levels from the same period in 2021, as per the Central Water Commission’s reservoir storage report. The report showed that reservoir stocks in Maharashtra, Odisha, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Nagaland, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand were below the May 2021 levels.

No rainfall was recorded over Nandurbar, Beed, Hingoli, Jalna, Bhandara, Buldhana and Washim districts between March 1 and May 30, the IMD data suggested.

IMD officials attributed such a dry pre-monsoon season to the absence of favourable and rain-bearing weather systems over the state and north India. Normally, Maharashtra witnesses a couple of good spells accompanied by thunder and lightning during the peak of summer heat. Hailstorms also are reported occasionally. However, all these have been absent since March.

Among the other highly rain-deficient districts during the period are Gondiya, Akola (-99 per cent), Raigad (-98 per cent), Amravati -96 per cent), Parbhani (-95 per cent), Chandrapur, Latur (-93 per cent), Palghar (-91 per cent), Wardha (-89 per cent), Nagpur (-86 per cent), Nanded (-85 per cent), Nashik (-88 per cent), Pune (-79 per cent) and Mumbai (-72 per cent).

With the monsoon having reached Kerala on Sunday, the IMD has forecast some light-intensity pre-monsoon showers and thunder in early June. The districts for which a yellow alert has been issued for the May 31-June 2 period are Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Kolhapur, Satara, Sangli and Kolhapur. A similar alert for Tuesday has been issued for Parbhani, Latur, Hingoli, Nanded, Latur, Osmanabad, Amravati, Buldhana, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Nagpur, Gondia and Wardha districts.