Special Correspondent
NewsBits.in
Bhopal: Good news with a rider: Though the onset of monsoon would be delayed by about 10 days in Madhya Pradesh, the rain coffers would be filled up completely and somewhat extra this season.
The Bhopal-based Regional Meteorological Centre has predicted onset of monsoon in extreme southern parts of MP between June 18 and 20, a delay of about eight to ten days.
Monsoon is expected to cover entire state from June 28-30 while the onset likelihood for Bhopal is between June 20 and 22, director of Regional Meteorological Centre, Anupam Kashyapi has said.
However, relief in the form of pre-monsoon showers would start from June 8-10 and the temperatures would not show any further rise now, the director said.
He said that the conditions have become somewhat favourable for onset of monsoon in Kerala (the southernmost part of country) in another four to five days.
NORMAL MONSOON
The director told media persons that despite delay, the monsoon would be ‘normal on the higher side’. The state would overall receive about 113% of the long period average (LPA) of rainfall this rainy season (June to September 2016).
Since the LPA of state is about 96cm, the likelihood is that Madhya Pradesh would receive about 108cm of rainfall this season.
Division wise, West MP would receive 88.5-100 cm of rain (against average of 87cm) while East MP would receive 108-119cm of rainfall (against average of 105cm) this season, the MeT director said.
For the last two years, Eastern MP received 29% and 31% deficient rainfall respectively and thus this year is good cheer for the state and especially farmers.
Kashyapi said that in areas with average rainfall of over 90% or with irrigational facilities, medium range rice crop could be cultivated, or else Soybean is the most promising crop for most parts of state. The alternate crops could be maize and groundnut.
