OMG! BJP kick-starts early 2019 poll preparations

New Delhi: India is likely to experience above-normal cumulative rainfall in the 2024 monsoon season with La Nina conditions likely to set in by August-September, the IMD has said on Monday.

However, normal cumulative rainfall does not guarantee uniform temporal and spatial distribution of rain across the country, with climate change further increasing the variability of the rain-bearing system.

Climate scientists say the number of rainy days is declining while heavy rain events (more rain over a short period) are increasing, leading to frequent droughts and floods.

Based on data between 1951-2023, India experienced above-normal rainfall in the monsoon season on nine occasions when La Nina followed an El Nino event, India Meteorological Department chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra told a press conference here.

Positive Indian Ocean Dipole conditions are predicted during the monsoon season. Also, the snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere is low. These conditions are favourable for the Indian southwest monsoon, he said.

Moderate El Nino conditions are prevailing at present. It is predicted to turn neutral by the time monsoon season commences. Thereafter, models suggest, La Lina conditions may set in by August-September, Mohapatra said.

India received "below-average" cumulative rainfall -- 820 mm compared to the long-period average of 868.6 mm -- in 2023, an El Nino year. Before 2023, India recorded "normal" and "above-normal" rainfall in the monsoon season for four years in a row.

El Nino conditions -- periodic warming of surface waters in the central Pacific Ocean -- are associated with weaker monsoon winds and drier conditions in India.

Three large-scale climatic phenomena are considered for forecasting monsoon season rainfall.

The first is El Nino, the second is the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), which occurs due to differential warming of the western and eastern sides of the equatorial Indian Ocean, and the third is the snow cover over the northern Himalayas and the Eurasian landmass, which also has an impact on the Indian monsoon through the differential heating of the landmass.

The southwest monsoon delivers about 70 percent of India's annual rainfall, which is critical for the agriculture sector. Agriculture accounts for about 14 percent of the country's GDP.

Boxer and Congress leader Vijender Singh joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Singh had fought the 2019 general elections unsuccessfully from the South Delhi seat as a candidate of the grand old party.

“Today I am joining the BJP… it is like ghar wapsi (homecoming) for me,” Singh said after the joining the saffron camp at the party’s headquarters in the national capital.

“Good to be back,” he said, adding that, “When we would go out for the fight there were issues at airports but now under this government we are getting all the respect.”

The boxer’s name was doing the rounds for the last few days as Congress’ nominee from Mathura, from where actor and incumbent MP Hema Malini is contesting again.

Singh — India’s first Olympic medalist in boxing — comes from the Jat community, which has political influence in a large number of seats in Haryana, the state he comes from, western Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

In a gut-wrenching tragedy, three high school boys drowned in the Tunga River in Tirthahalli town in Shivamogga district on April 1 evening.

Ayan, Samar, and Rafan, all aged around 16 years, had been to the Tunga River at Rama Mantap in the town after breaking the Ramadan fast (iftar) in the evening. 

All three were Class 10 students of a local high school and close friends.

Around 8 p.m., Tirthahalli police received information that the boys drowned.

With the help of local people, the bodies were retrieved from the river around 11 p.m. Hundreds of people gathered at the river bank. The bodies have been shifted to the government hospital in the town.

Tirthahalli Police have registered an unnatural death report.