India facing drought year with rainfall deficit of 22% - worst since 1993

Monsoons in India are on the verge of withdrawing for the year and with a rainfall deficit of 22%, worst since 1993, India is facing a near drought situation – it would be the second successive year of drought.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 1 September 2015.

Indian Meteorological Department IMD has said that the all India weighted average rainfall in August was 204.2mm against a normal of 261mm. This is the third lowest August rainfall in more than two decades. After 1993, monsoon in August has been weaker only in 2009 (also an El Nino year) and 2005.
IMD had predicted a 10% rain shortfall for the month.
July and August are usually the wettest months of the season and, both have ended with high deficits.
The retreat of monsoons are based on three criteria observed in the region. These are absence of rain for at least five straight days, a significant drop in moisture and reversal of monsoonal winds by the formation of an anti-cyclone.
IMD has said that already there are signs of the first two conditions and, within the next few days, all criteria would be met.
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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