Fresh number crunching by weather officials on Friday showed that the country had received two per cent less rainfall than normal this season, with Marathwada region recording 44 per cent deficit rains.
According to the meteorological analysis of the southwest monsoon between June one and August 24, the country, on the whole, had received one per cent less rainfall than the long period average.
The cumulative seasonal rainfall for the country as a whole for the period June one to August 28 is below the Long Period Average value by two per cent, the India Meteorological Department said.
Of the 36 meteorological sub-divisions five, including Marathwada, continue to receive deficit monsoon rains.
Kerala received 31 per cent deficit rains followed by the northeastern states of Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura -- 30 per cent less rainfall than the Long Period Average, the weather office said.
North Interior Karnataka (-25) and Vidarbha (-20) also received less downpour.
Rainfall has improved in Assam and Meghalaya and the region, with 18 per cent deficient rains, has still moved from the deficient category to within the normal.
Numerical Weather Prediction models suggest widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy falls likely over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim during the week.
However, the intensity of rainfall is likely to decrease during second half of the week.
Scattered to fairly widespread rainfall is likely over Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, Rayalaseema and south interior Karnataka during the first two days of the week in association with a low level cyclonic circulation, the weatherman said.
Increase in rainfall activity is likely over Kerala and Coastal Karnataka and the enhanced rainfall belt is likely to extend to Konkan and Goa from August 31, the weather office said.
Central India has received 717.4 mm rains between June 1 and August 28 which is eight per cent below the LPA, South Peninsula got 527.6 mm rains (-4 per cent) and Northeast India 1060.1 mm (- 5 per cent).
Northwest region received 558.9 mm rains, which was 16 per cent more than the LPA.
