August rainfall in 2020 has been the highest since 1926

August rainfall in 2020 has been the highest since 1926

Part of: GS Prelims and GS-I- Geography

In news

• According the India Meteorological Department (IMD), August rainfall in 2020 has been the highest since 1926 with about 27% more than what is normal for the month. 

Key takeaways

• Causes of heavy rainfall: Several long-lasting low-pressure systems or rain-bearing winds that formed in the Bay of Bengal. They were vigorous enough to travel all the way from the south-eastern coast up to north-west India.
• The surplus rain was primarily in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Odisha.
• Though August rainfall was in excess, the figure for this year’s monsoon as a whole were likely to be within the department’s June forecast of a normal (96 to 104% of the long period average) rainfall.
• In the normal course, the monsoon begins its retreat from September 15 and this can go on for nearly a month.