At 669.3mm, Rajasthan receives 58% above average monsoon rains, highest in country

Rajasthan has recorded 58% more than average rainfall making it the highest state in the country to receive such heavy downpour, Jaipur Meteorological Centre said.

At 669.3mm, the state has claimed the top spot in the country for exceeding average rainfall, while other regions, such as Bihar and Arunachal Pradesh, saw 27% less than average.

This is the third time in 116 years that Rajasthan has received such significant rainfall.

The previous record years were 1917, with 844.2 mm, and 1908, with 682.2 mm, the official data said.

Director of Jaipur Meteorological Centre, Radhey Shyam Sharma said that the primary reason for the good rainfall was the monsoon trough remaining in its normal position for an extended period. It neither shifted north nor south, which allowed the monsoon to stay in an active phase until the first week of September. As a result, there was no break in the monsoon.

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A trough line refers to an elongated area of low pressure in the atmosphere, often associated with a dip or depression in the pressure gradient.

He added that the trend of rainfall has changed in the last 10 to 15 years. The areas (states of northeast India) which used to receive more rainfall earlier, the figures have decreased whereas the areas (Central and Western India) which used to receive less rainfall, are receiving more rainfall during monsoon.

The formation of consecutive weather systems was the primary reason for the record-breaking rains during this monsoon season in Rajasthan.

Several low-pressure systems, both mild and strong, developed in the Bay of Bengal and reached the borders of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Over the course of July and August, more than seven small and large systems formed one after another. Additionally, the monsoon branch from the Arabian Sea was also active this year, contributing to a continuous influx of moisture into the state, said Sharma.

“While the quantity of rainfall in Rajasthan may not compare to that of other states, when assessed against normal rainfall levels, it leads the country with significantly higher-than-average precipitation,” said Sharma.