A combination of unfavourable atmospheric patterns have delayed the revival and further advance of the monsoon which has not moved to cover more of the subcontinent for over 12 days. While the monsoon had covered half the country by mid-June, its northern limit has not shifted since June 18. It is currently passing through Rajkot, Ahmedabad, Indore, Pendra, Daltonganj, Gaya and Muzaffarpur. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had predicted last Friday that...

The monsoon is expected to further advance across Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand over the next three to four days marking intensified rainfall activity, meteorologists said today. Rainfall from June 17-23 was subdued, 21 per cent below the expected normal levels. But weather features suggest that a spell of wet weather lies in the week ahead. “Overall, things appear to be getting better for the season,” said Damodar Pai, a senior...

The Food Outlook of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) that came out in June, 2010 has predicted that world cereal production would be reaching a record level of 2279.5 million tonnes in 2010-2011, which would be an increase of 1.2 percent over last year’s global production of 2253.1 million tonnes. As a result, it has been predicted that there would be a modest increase in world trade in cereal...

Precipitation is likely to be 98 per cent of long-period average  Rainfall is likely to be lower because of a weak El Nino condition A weak La Nina may developing by July or August The India Meteorological Department on Friday issued its first-stage, long-range forecast for the Southwest Monsoon. It is likely to be “normal,” with a precipitation of 98 per cent of the long-period average (LPA), with a model error of plus...

As part of its modernisation programme aimed at enhancing weather monitoring facilities, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) is installing a network of 187 automatic rain gauge stations across the state. When installed, the network would help in accurate collection of rainfall data from various parts of the state. It would update information on an hourly basis. The satellite-based stations would be monitored by the Earth Station at Pune and data regarding rain...