SRINAGAR: After months of deficient rainfall, Jammu and Kashmir finally got a wet July, with the Union Territory recording a 35 per cent surplus and bringing an end to an eight-month run of below-normal precipitation.
Jammu and Kashmir received 259.7 mm of rainfall during July against the normal 192.6 mm, according to rainfall data shared by India Meteorological Department (IMD). The month marked the first above-normal rainfall since the deficit spell began in November last year.
The change was particularly visible across the Kashmir Valley, where almost every district recorded surplus rainfall.
Baramulla topped the Valley with a 165 per cent surplus, while Ganderbal and Pulwama recorded surpluses of 110 and 108 per cent respectively. Srinagar and Anantnag were both 71 per cent above normal, followed by Kulgam at 51 per cent.
Bandipora recorded a 33 per cent surplus and Kupwara 32 per cent, while Budgam registered a modest 6 per cent surplus.
Shopian was the lone exception in Kashmir, recording a 40 per cent rainfall deficit during the month.
The Jammu region also received largely above-normal rainfall. Ramban recorded a 125 per cent surplus, followed by Udhampur at 108 per cent, Samba at 91 per cent and Rajouri at 88 per cent.
Poonch recorded a 47 per cent surplus, while Doda and Reasi registered surpluses of 17 and 14 per cent respectively. Jammu district remained almost normal with a marginal 3 per cent surplus.
Kathua and Kishtwar, however, continued to face rainfall deficits of 25 and 16 per cent respectively.
The wet July also extended to Ladakh, although the region’s unusually high percentage departures were based on very low normal rainfall.
Kargil received 10 mm against its normal 1.9 mm, resulting in a 426 per cent surplus, while Leh recorded 31 mm against a normal of 11.2 mm, a surplus of 177 per cent.
The July figures mark a significant shift in the rainfall pattern across J&K after months of below-normal precipitation, with the widespread surplus helping push the overall UT rainfall figures into positive territory despite deficits in a handful of districts.
