Despite an unexpected bout of heavy showers which threw a wet blanket over the Onam festivities in Kerala, August will be marked as the driest-ever month in the recorded history of the State since 1901. As of August 29, Kerala received 46.2 mm of rainfall in the month, a shortfall of close to 90%.
The previous lowest in the 120-year recorded history of the southwest monsoon was 178.6 mm of rainfall registered in 1911. Further, this is the first time in the history of monsoon that August rainfall, which accounts for around 21% of the total annual southwest monsoon rainfall in Kerala, falls below the 100-mm mark. Though there is a day more left in the month, it is highly unlikely to bring a change in the August scenario, according to weathermen. The month will also be ‘the driest’ at the national level, with a rainfall deficit of over 32%.
Similarly, the lowest-ever southwest monsoon season rainfall was recorded in 1918 at a cumulative 1,104.3 mm against the typical seasonal average of 2,018 mm. It remains to be seen whether the State will be on track to record the driest-ever season.
