BHUBANESWAR: Moderate showers owing to the impact of a low pressure, which formed over Bay of Bengal on Monday, have brought down the rainfall deficit from 29 to 27 per cent (pc). The deficit is likely to come down further with the Met department predicting another low pressure around Saturday.
The rainfall deficit had stood at 29 pc between June and August. As many as 24 districts had recorded deficit rainfall during the period. However, the deficit has come down to 27 pc and now 18 districts are under the deficient category.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the fresh low pressure area is likely to form over north and adjoining central Bay of Bengal by September 11 and the system is expected to become more marked in the subsequent 24 hours.
Weather experts said the fresh low pressure, seventh over Bay of Bengal between June and September, is likely to be the strongest as it is expected to form over north adjoining and central Bay of Bengal and move towards head Bay of Bengal region, which covers parts of Odisha and West Bengal as well as Bangladesh.
“Heavy rainfall is likely to occur at one or two places in 10 districts on Saturday, and similar weather condition is expected at isolated places in Ganjam, Khurda, Puri, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Balasore, Bhadrak and five other districts on Sunday,” said Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre Scientist Umasankar Das.
The rainfall deficiency in Odisha is expected to reduce further under the influence of the fresh low pressure area. But rainfall in the remaining weeks of monsoon’s last month will determine whether the State received below normal or normal rains this year, he added.