Alappuzha: Kerala has been witnessing strong pre-monsoon or summer showers this year following an atypical rainy season last year. The State recorded 535.9 mm of rainfall as against the normal of 252.8 mm from March 1 till Thursday, according to the figures from the India Meteorological Department. Thus, the southern state has received 112 per cent more than its average rainfall in the period from March 1.
The pre-monsoon season corresponds to March 1 to May 31.
Eight out of the 14 districts received over 100 per cent rainfall and all districts recorded above 50% excess rainfall. They are Ernakulam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Kasaragod, Kozhikode, Thrissur, Wayanad, and Kannur.
Ernakulam district registered the highest rainfall in the same period. It received 844mm against the normal of 257.1 mm. This is 228% above the normal.
Other districts with heavy rainfall are: Pathanamthitta with 820.1mm against the normal of 386.2mm for an excess of 112% and Kottayam with 817.9mm against the normal of 305.9mm, recording 167% excess rainfall.
However, the heavy summer showers are not unusual either. Last year, 2021, the pre-monsoon showers were excess by 107%. In the last decade, there were four 'excess' years: 2021 (107%), 2020 (7%), 2018 (37%), and 2015 (23%).
(Summer showers, also known as mango showers, refer to pre-monsoon rainfall across much of South and Southeast Asia, including India and Cambodia. They are also termed 'April rains'.
What does it portend
Excess rainfall is not a sign of a drought or a flood to follow. In 2019, when there were heavy floods, there was a 53% deficiency in summer rains. During the year of the deluge in 2018, there was excess pre-monsoon rain but only 37%.
The heavy rains come with its share of advantages, too. Power consumption falls. This year, power consumption in April is 75 million units. Last year same period, the average consumption was 78 MU. At this stage, Kerala's dams have better storage than last year.