Odisha to have normal rainfall despite El Nino effect

Sambad English Bureau Published On : Aug 4, 2015 at 11:55 AM Updated On : Aug 4, 2015 at 11:58 AM

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Aug 4:

While several overseas meteorological organisations have predicted less rainfall with possibility of drought situation in Odisha this year due to El Nino effect, the Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar has claimed that despite adverse impact of El Nino, the state will have normal rainfall.

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“Like the El Nino, the movement of Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) also impacts the monsoon in India including Odisha and Kerala. Since IOD is now in a neutral state, there is more possibility of normal rainfall in Odisha,” Dr Sarat Chandra Sahu, director, Regional Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, told the media today.

He said despite the effect of El Nino on the monsoon in Odisha in previous years, the state had received normal and heavy rainfall.

“Barring the El Nino effect on Odisha in 2002 in which the state had received —19% rainfall, the state had received normal rainfall in 1994, 1997 and 2009 with +30% rainfall in 2006 despite its effect,” Sahu pointed out.

The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is the difference in sea surface temperature between western pole in the Arabian Sea (western Indian Ocean) and eastern pole in the eastern Indian Ocean south of Indonesia which affects the climate of Australia and other countries that surround the Indian Ocean Basin, and is a significant contributor to rainfall variability in this region, he added.

Sahu said as per the weather forecast, there will be normal rainfall in August and September.

“Though there is no immediate possibility of formation of low pressure, it may be formed off the Odisha coast,” he informed.

As per the weather statistics, as against the normal rainfall of 561.7 mm in Odisha between June 1 and August 1, the state has received five percent less rainfall (535.5 mm).

In terms of less rainfall, Khordha district has received —36% rainfall followed by Nayagarh and Kandhamal (—35%), Bhadrak (—32%), Koraput ( 30%), Puri (—29%) and Kalahandi (—24%) rainfall while the remaining 23 districts have received normal rainfall.