The summer rainfall ‘quota’ for Kerala has witnessed a tremendous jump, courtesy Cyclone Tauktae that has been cutting a violent northward path across the Arabian Sea.
During the period from May 14 to 17 (up to 8.30 a.m.) when Tauktae took shape and intensified, Kerala recorded 268 mm rainfall, a stunning 861% departure from the normal, officials of the IMD Meteorological Centre here said. While 27.9 mm is deemed normal for the May 14-May 17 period, the State registered an increase due to the heavy rainfall unleashed by the turbulent weather conditions over the sea.
All 14 districts recorded a percentage departure of 600% or above during this period. Pathanamthitta district topped the list with a percentage departure of 1087% from the normal. Kasaragod, at the bottom of the list, recorded 600% more than the normal, K. Santhosh, director, Meteorological Centre, said.
Rainfall-wise, summer 2021 has been generous to Kerala. Between March 1 and May 17 this year, Kerala has received 138% more than its normal rainfall. While 235.1 mm is ‘normal’, the State averaged 559.5 mm. This amounts to a ‘large excess’ in IMD parlance that denotes a percentage departure above 60%.
All 14 districts have, in fact, recorded a large excess so far, with Kannur topping the list with 235%.
A low pressure area that formed in the Arabian Sea on May 13 had concentrated into a deep depression on May 14 and intensified into a cyclone in the early hours of May 15.
