For twenty years, Thar has had more rain than normal | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Western Rajasthancountry of Thar Desert and the driest region The plains of Indiabelonged to two subdivisions of the 36 that received excess rainfall during this monsoon. Surprisingly, this was hardly an unusual monsoon for western Rajasthan, which has seen above-normal rainfall over the past two decades, indicating changing conditions. monsoon patterns in a warming world.
According to IMD data According to analyzes by TOI, western Rajasthan has been experiencing above-normal or excessive monsoons for six years in a row. In the past 20 years, in the period June to September, there has been excess/above normal in 12 years, normal in 5 years and too little in 3 years. On average, the monsoon was 19% above normal during the period 2005-2024. How exceptional this type of rainfall is in the region can be determined by comparing two contiguous subdivisions, Punjab and Haryana, during this period.
‘Rajasthan will receive more rain due to warming climate’
How exceptional this type of rainfall is in the region can be determined by comparing two contiguous subdivisions, Punjab and Haryana, during this period. Punjab recorded only one year above normal, twelve normal years and seven years of monsoon deficiency, i.e. 20% or more below normal. On average, rainfall from June to September was 13.5% lower than normal in the state during 2005-2024.
The monsoon pattern of Haryana resembles that of Punjab. Since 2005, there have been three above-normal years, eight years of normal rainfall and the same number of years of deficient rainfall. Moreover, in one year the monsoon was ‘greatly deficient’ (or scarce). On average, the monsoon in these twenty years was 13.3% below normal.
Even in India as a whole, the monsoon during this period was on average 1.5% less than normal.

However, it should be noted that, being the driest subdivision (SD) in the country, the ‘normal’ rainfall figure for Western Rajasthan is significantly lower than that of the other two SDs: currently 283.6 mm compared to 439.8 mm in western Rajasthan. Punjab and 430.7 mm in Haryana.
Yet the difference is significant and in recent years western Rajasthan has even received more rainfall in absolute terms than Punjab or Haryana.
“Rainfall over Rajasthan and Punjab-Haryana is determined by the position of the monsoon trough and the westward movement of low-pressure systems in the rainy season. In recent years we have seen the monsoon trough move south of its normal position, with a more westward movement of low pressure systems. In such situations, Rajasthan receives more rain and Punjab-Haryana less,” explains M Rajeevan, veteran meteorologist and former secretary of the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences.
Rajeevan said the region could attract rain clouds due to changes in soil moisture, land use patterns and possibly the addition of water bodies in recent decades, such as the Indira Canal.
“Local soil moisture feedback over Rajasthan also helps to lock the monsoon trough in that position and attract more low-pressure systems over that region. There is increasing evidence of increasing soil moisture in Rajasthan and its interaction with the monsoon,” he said.
Finally, the increased rainfall in the Thar Desert in recent years may be just a sign of what lies ahead in an era of climate change. Rajeevan said: “Future climate projections suggest that Rajasthan and its desert will receive more rainfall in a warming climate.”