Widespread rain along west coast likely from today: IMD

According to the IMD, the trough has remained south of its normal position for most of July which led to intense rain and flooding over central India, but over 40% rain deficiency in the states along the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP), including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.

Widespread rain is expected over the west coast and central India from Saturday as a monsoon trough, an elongated low pressure area, is likely to shift southwards, a senior official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said.

A trough is an elongated low pressure area where most of the moisture in concentrated. During the monsoon, it usually extends from Central Pakistan to Odisha and covers the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) area.

According to the IMD, the trough has remained south of its normal position for most of July which led to intense rain and flooding over central India, but over 40% rain deficiency in the states along the IGP, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.

Following a deficit of 8% in rainfall in June, July so far has recorded 10% excess rain but it has not supported agriculture largely.

As on Friday, there was a 50% rainfall deficiency over Gangetic West Bengal, 51% over Jharkhand, 45% over Bihar, 61% over east Uttar Pradesh and 52% over west Uttar Pradesh. On the other hand, Telangana has recorded 111% excess rain, 73% excess over Marathwada, 79% excess over Saurashtra and Kutch; 48% excess over Vidarbha among others. There is 10% excess rain over the country.