A major shift in the movement pattern of clouds during the monsoon season is causing erratic rainfall, according to experts. Heavy downpours separated by several days of continued dry spell are now becoming a common fare. Experts say there is an observed shift in cloud patterns during monsoon that is causing such a phenomenon. After months of deficit rainfall, last week’s heavy downpour has ensured that the average rainfall in the state can now be considered normal.
While the Meteorolo-gical department says rainfall this year is 11 per cent in excess, the directorate of economics and statistics says it is four per cent in excess. While the number of rainy days has decreased, the intensity of the rains has increased. Dr Shakeel Ahmed, chief scientist, CSIR-NGRI, acknowledges this. “The number of rainy days has fallen from 50 to 25 or 30. Simultaneously, intensity of rainfall on these days has increased,” he says. Nalgonda and Nizama-bad districts have a deficit of 16 per cent each, Medak in 12 per cent in deficit. Erratic rainfall prompted Dr Ahmed and his team to research the trend since uniform rainfall is important for recharge of groundwater