Weather in Kerala

Weather in Kerala

Kerala receives third highest excess southwest monsoon rainfall during the period 1901 to 2007 in this year 2007. Ernakulam, Kozhikkode and Malappuram districts received the highest southwest monsoon rainfall since 1976.Kerala receives third highest excess southwest monsoon rainfall during the period 1901 to 2007 in this year 2007. Ernakulam, Kozhikkode and Malappuram districts received the highest southwest monsoon rainfall since 1976.

Kerala receives a normal rainfall of 214.3 cm in the southwest monsoon season June to September. In this year’s monsoon Kerala received a rainfall of 278.4 cm, thus registering an excess rainfall of 30%. ( 20% and greater than that above normal is considered as excess) This is the third best southwest monsoon rainfall during the period 1901 to 2007. There has never been a year of excess rainfall in the southwest monsoon since 1981.This is the only year when Kerala received an excess rainfall in the southwest monsoon season in recent times. The next best southwest monsoon rainfall in recent times was in 1981 with a rainfall amount of 251.6 cm.

The interesting feature of this year’srainfall is that all the districts received excellent rainfall. This year’s southwest monsoon rainfall can be considered as energy bonanza not only for Kerala but for the entire southern peninsula. In fact the south peninsula received an excess rainfall of 26% during the southwest monsoon rainfall in 2007. The salient feature is that both the coastal districts and interior districts of Kerala got good rainfall. The coastal districts Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kozhikkode Kannur and Kasargod received more than 300 cm rainfall in this monsoon season. The districts Alappuzha, Kasargod, Thiruvananthapruam and Wayanad received normal rainfall while all the other districts received excess rainfall, the highest of excess rainfall being in Palakkad district with 56 % excess.

During 1901 to 2007, Kerala had excess southwest monsoon rainfall in ten years, the highest being in the year 1924 with an excess of +64 %. The other years when Kerala received excess rainfall in the southwest monsoon are 1907 with +24%,1920 with +25%, 1931 with + 22 %, 1933 with + 24 %, 1959 + 27 %, 1961 + 48% and 1968 with + 28 %, 1981 with +22% and in 2007 Kerala received a rainfall of 278.4 cm with an excess of +30%. Thus this year’s rainfall is the third highest excess rainfall Kerala received during the southwest monsoon season during the period 1901 – 2007.

Districtwise weekly weather reports for Kerala are available since 1976.Looking into the districtwise rainfall it may be mentioned that Ernakulam, Kozhikkode and Malappuram districts received the highest rainfall in this year’s southwest monsoon. Ernakulam district received a rainfall of 309.5 cm, while the earlier best was 258.9 cm in 1994. Kozhikode district received a rainfall of 358.2 cm, while the earlier best was 347.2 cm in 1992. Malappuram district received a rainfall of 291.7 cm, while the earlier best was 288.8 cm in 1980.

Alappuzha,Kollam,Kottayam,Palghat and Pathanamthitta districts received the second highest rainfall in this southwest monsoon season. Alappuzha district recorded a rainfall of 216.0 cm as against the best of 233.4 cm in 1983. Kollam district recorded a rainfall of 175.4 cm as against the best of 187.9 cm in 1991. Kottayam district recorded a rainfall of 239.8 cm as against the best of 270.8 cm in 1983. Palakkad district received a rainfall of 263.9 cm as against the best rainfall of

274.5 cm in 1981. Pathanamthitta district recorded a rainfall of 216.6 cm as against the best of 227.2 cm in 1991.

Idukki and Kasargod districts recorded the third highest rainfall in the last monsoon season. Idukki district recorded a rainfall of 343.5 cm and 1981. In 2005, Idukki district received the highest everm southwest monsoon rainfall and annual rainfall of 434 and 562 cm, while in 1981 it received 397cm and 477 cm respectively. Kasargod district received a rainfall of 340.6 cm after 1994 and 1997. Kasargod received a rainfall of 394.3 cm and 341.8 cm in the southwest monsoon season of 1994 and 1997 respectively.

This year’s rainfall is unique in one sense that Kerala recorded excess southwest monsoon rainfall after 1981 when it recorded an excess rainfall of +22 % after a lapse of 26 years. This year‘s Southwest monsoon rainfall of Kerala is the third highest rainfall of the southwest monsoon after 1924 and 1961 during the period 1901 to 2007. It may perhaps take a few years more or a decade to get again excess southwest monsoon rainfall.