As heavy rains flood parts of Maharashtra, Telangana faces a dry spell. Meteorologists see little relief from monsoon through July's end. Telangana Development Planning Society (TGDPS) says weak monsoon and lack of low-pressure systems over Bay of Bengal keep rain scarce.
Senior weather consultant Y.V. Rama Rao stressed that July usually brings peak rainfall, but this year,monsoon activity has shifted to central and northern India, hitting states like Maharashtra and Gujarat. He said, “July is typically one of the wettest months,but this year’s rainfall has shifted.”
Southwest monsoon arrived late and weak in Telangana,entering June 8 but not covering all districts until June 23. Rao explained the usual 3-4 day process took nearly 15 days this year. Monsoon weakens as it moves north, usually regaining strength through Bay of Bengal low-pressure systems. But not this year.
“This is quite unusual and we have not seen such pattern in last 10 years,” Rao noted. In past years, even weak June rainfall was followed by good July and August rain. This year, Telangana might only see scattered thundershowers driven by local heat and moisture for next 2-3 weeks. Significant rain depends on weather systems near Andhra Pradesh coast.
El Niño, warming in equatorial Pacific, complicates things further. This phenomenon suppresses monsoon activity across India. Rao said with neither Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) nor Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) providing favorable conditions,rainfall remains limited .
Rainfall data shows seriousness of situation. By July 10, Telangana got only 4.3 cm of rain, well below normal 6.5 cm for this time. A 33% deficit compared to last year's 6.6 cm. Out of 33 districts,only 13 recorded normal rainfall, 20 are deficient.
From June 1 to July 10, state received 15.8 cm of rain against normal 19.5 cm, a 19% shortfall. Hyderabad's cumulative rainfall reached 11.3 cm, short of normal 15.6 cm, a 28% deficit . Lack of rain also pushed temperatures up, with highs from 34°C to 38°C in various districts and 33°C to 36°C in Hyderabad .
In response to El Niño challenges, Telangana's Irrigation Minister told officials to make contingency plans. These prioritize drinking water over irrigation,showing urgency as state grapples with potential water shortages.
