Panaji: After four consecutive dry days, Goa witnessed short spells of intense rainfall on Thursday.The state recorded no rainfall between July 11 and 14. It received just over 4.4mm of rain on July 15, while precipitation remained limited on July 16.Meteorologist M R Ramesh Kumar said, “The situation is expected to improve as the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) moves into Phases 1 and 2, with convection shifting towards the north Indian Ocean. This should enhance rainfall over the Indian subcontinent, including Goa,” Kumar said.He also said a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) could develop during the first half of Aug.Goa is currently facing a rainfall deficit of 38%, significantly higher than the national deficit of 23%.Kumar attributed the weak monsoon mainly to the absence of convective weather systems over both the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. He said the season’s only significant convective system was a short-lived disturbance that formed along the monsoon trough between July 5 and 6.He added that India experienced its first monsoon “break” of the season from July 10 to 15. The six-day break largely coincided with weak monsoon conditions over Goa, further contributing to the state’s rainfall deficit.
