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MAPUSA
There are five more days to go for the South-West monsoon to officially retreat but this year’s monsoon is already Goa’s wettest in a century.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) data, the State has recorded 162 inches of seasonal rainfall up to September 25, surpassing the previous highest rainfall of 160 inches recorded in 1961.
However, there were much fewer stations to record rainfall back then, which has now gone up to 13. The IMD officials informed that there were just two stations until 1920 and five stations in 1961 in Goa.
So far, the State has recorded 41 percent excess rainfall, with cumulative figures of 162 inches against the normal of 115 inches between June 1 and September 25.
As usual, July turns out to be the wettest month recording 50 inches of rain which is 19 percent higher than normal.
So far, Pernem has received the highest amount of rainfall recording 194 inches followed by Ponda at 175 inches while Mapusa recorded the lowest with 138 inches of rainfall.
According to the officials in the weather office, no other monsoon season in the past witnessed such widespread and heavy rainfall in the State.
The IMD attributed the enhanced rainfall activity due to systems built up in Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal.
“Low-pressure systems over the Arabian Sea in the first two months of the monsoon and similar back to back systems or weather circulations over Bay of Bengal in August and September resulted in bringing substantial rainfall in Goa,” said Rahul Mohan, senior scientist with the IMD.
The State received widespread rain throughout the season with some parts receiving heavy to very heavy rainfall.
As per the weather bureau, Goa received 41 inches of rain in June, 50 inches in July, 46 inches in August and so far 25 inches of rain up to September 25 this year.
Incidentally, the month of June also received 18 percent higher than normal rainfall this year.
The intense rainfall activity did lead to spells of urban flooding, water logging and traffic snarls but by and large there were no instances of large-scale disaster like situations in the State.
