Monsoon vigorous over Goa - Posted July 21, 2016

Goa has been experiencing heavy to very heavy rains since Monday, under the influence of a weak trough off the coast of Goa.

Area weighted average seasonal rain for Goa from June 1 to July 21, 2016 has reached 1890 mm (74.4 inches), which is 15% excess over normal, for this time.

Mormugao has a seasonal total of 2300 mm (90 inches) the highest in Goa so far.

Vagaries Goa rain gauge at Margao has recorded 85 mm each on Wednesday 20 and Thursday 21.

Heavy rains are expected to continue over parts of Goa over next two days.

(Source: http://www.imdgoa.gov.in)

Mid July 2016 - Monsoon takes a break!

After an explosive start in June 2016, when Goa witnessed one of the wettest month of June in recent years, (read this post), monsoon has slowed down in Goa and mid July, can be definitely said to be taking a break.

Meteorologists speak of the Monsoon axis having shifted far north towards Indian Plains and the base of the the Himalayas, as being the main reason for this beak. But this situation is expected to last at most for another week, before monsoon is supposed to resume with vigor.

Against normal rainfall of 512.70 mm, Goa has received just 394.1 mm during the first 15 days of July, showing a deficiency of 22%!

However due to the 35% excess rainfall received in June this year, the cumulative rainfall as measured from June 1, 2016, is still around 14% above normal!

Source: IMD Goa Center

The top three rain centres during the first half of July 2016 were:

1. Pernem - 23.14 inches

2. Sakhali - 22.48 inches

3. Valpoi - 20.91 inches

Poor rains during July first half, for the June leaders Mormugao and Dabolim, allowed Pernem and Sankhali to leapfrog over these coastal towns!

Top five centres with cumulative rain figures from June 1 to July 15, 2016 are:

1. Pernem - 75.99 inches

2. Sankhali - 71.76 inches

3. Mormugao - 71.14 inches

4. Dabolim - 67.24 inches

5. Sanguem - 63.52 inches

The monthly variation can be seen better in the following graph:

The monsoons have now covered the entire country. As of July 15, the rainfall was 1% above normal as whole for the country. Only Gujarat, Saurashtra, Bihar, Assam and Tripura have received deficient rains.

The satellite picture for July 15, 2016, too makes for happy viewing!

IMD has predicted that the SW Monsoons, will be good this year and the season may extend well beyond September!

Watch these pages as the drama unfolds!

June 2016 - Monsoon performance over Goa

June 2016 saw Goa receiving the highest rainfall, amongst all other states in India, from both the pre monsoon and the actual South West Monsoons, even though the SW Monsoon was delayed and reached Goa only on June 10, officially.

Goa received area weighted average of 1215.9 mm (47.8 inches) of rainfall during this 30 day period, compared to 595.70 mm area weighted average rainfall for Kerala in the second place.

Thus Goa received nearly 35% above normal rains this year, which is also the highest total during June in the last 6 years.

Source: IMD, Goa Center

South Goa and North Goa also figure among the top five wettest districts of the country in June:

1. Udupi - 1322.00 mm

2. South Goa - 1307.80 mm

3. Sindhudurg - 1124.60 mm

4. North Goa - 1107.30 mm

5. Ratnagiri - 997.00 mm

(Source: The superb data presentation by GSB, at the website of the weather blog Vagaries of the Weather, which can be accessed by clicking on this link)

Mormugao and Dabolim centres topped with highest rain figures for June, mainly because of heavy pre - monsoon showers recorded. Surprisingly the the normally wettest place Valpoi received the lowest rainfall, as per IMD records.

Coastal areas of Goa, generally got better rainfall than the interior areas.

By June end SW Monsoon had covered almost the entire country. This year SW Monsoon is expected to be above normal for the country as a whole.

Of course we will continue to track the progress of the monsoons in the coming months!