Rainfall in July has been 26 per cent deficient over the country, IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra informed Earth Sciences Minister Jitendra Singh on Sunday.
During his visit to the India Meteorological Department, Mr Singh was also informed by officials that the IMD has 27 radars spread across the country and the number will go up to 50 in the coming years.
The minister spent over an hour studying the Southwest Monsoon trends. He also visited exclusive satellite and radar sections, and discussed the process of procurement of data on a real-time basis.
Mr Singh also received an update about the variations in Delhi's air quality.
"Director General, IMD, Mrutyunjay Mohapatra informed the minister that this year the monsoon rainfall was 10 per cent above normal in the month of June, but 26 per cent deficient till date in July," a statement said.
Of the four-month rainfall season, July and August bring maximum rainfall over the country.
In its forecast for July, the IMD had predicted normal rainfall. After a break in the monsoon, the Southwest Monsoon started reviving from July 8. Since then several parts of the country have been witnessing heavy rainfall.
Stating that weather forecast data analysis is a complex exercise, Mr Singh urged the scientists at the IMD to further focus on more accurate forecasting.
He asked the officials to step up people-oriented services, particularly for the agriculture sector and disaster areas like flash floods, cyclones and rain downpours, by using apps and other such latest hi-tech options.
For the benefit of farmers, using Ministry of Agriculture's portal Mkisan, the IMD is at present sending more than 42 million SMSes twice a week to farmers across the country, the minister was told.
Mr Mohapatra said that India is one of the five countries in the world to have the most modern lightning forecast system in place.
The Hydromet Services of the IMD, using radar technology, enable flood forecasting in riverine areas. Apart from city specific forecasts, information on flash floods in South Asia is also given through this service.
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