The south-west monsoon was two percentage points (102%) above the long period average this year. This was disclosed by deputy director general meteorology (DDGM), weather forecasting, Medha Khole at the National Chemical Laboratory auditorium on Wednesday.
She was speaking on 'An overview of the south-west monsoon 2011' at the annual monsoon workshop organised by the Indian Meteorological Society, Pune chapter (IMSP).
Khole said that the south-west monsoon was above normal in 2011 despite the long hiatus in the monsoon between June 14 and July 7. The hiatus, according to Khole, primarily affected the western states of Gujarat and parts of Rajasthan. Citing the main features of the 2011 monsoon, Khole said that rainfall was in excess of normal across the country except the North-East.
According to her, north-east India was one of the only regions which recorded deficient rainfall this year. Khole also cited how the monsoon had a delayed withdrawal like last year, when it withdrew in October 24 this year.
According to Khole, this year also marked the near absence of cyclogenesis (process of intensification of a cyclonic circulation) in the Bay of Bengal. Khole said, "There were a total of four depressions in the entire season, with ten, well marked low pressure
areas (LPAs)."
