November ends with 69% rainfall deficit

The month of November saw 69 per cent rainfall deficit in Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, the weather department said on Saturday.

Meteorological Department officials said with a normal value of 35.3 mm, only 10.9 mm of rainfall was observed in the region in November.

Providing details, it said Kathua district with 100% departure from normal observed nil rainfall against 28.0 mm. It was followed by Poonch district with 98% rainfall deficit. Samba stood out as an exception, receiving 48% more rainfall than normal, which received 12.5 mm of rainfall against the normal value of 8.1 mm. Kupwara district with -3% departure from normal received 48.1 mm of rainfall against the normal of 49.8 mm during the month.

Budgam district received only 14.9 mm of rainfall against the normal value of 30.1 mm with 90% deficiency, the MeT said. Srinagar and Jammu districts observed 74% and 78% less rainfall, respectively, than normal during the month. Less rainfall has also impacted the agriculture sector as well. As the saffron harvest season concludes, production in the Kashmir Valley witnessed a significant decline due to deficient rainfall, according to growers. In fact, the prolonged dry weather in the Kashmir Valley even left its wetlands parched, significantly impacting the arrival of migratory birds.