Delhi has still not crossed its average rainfall mark for August, after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) corrected an error in the rain data released earlier this week.
The weather agency had said on Monday that Delhi received 234.5 mm of rain in the first 10 days of August, taking the city past its monthly long-period average of 233.1 mm. However, the figure was revised to 197.2 mm in the IMD’s bulletin on Tuesday.
The correction means Delhi is still around 36 mm short of its expected rainfall for the month.
“That (the earlier figure) was incorrect. 197.2 mm is the correct figure being displayed now,” an IMD official told Hindustan Times.
Another IMD official also confirmed that the earlier figure was incorrect, though officials did not specify what caused the error.
37.3 mm difference in rainfall entry
A comparison of IMD’s online monthly weather chart for Delhi with an earlier version found a major change in the rainfall recorded between 8.30 am on August 5 and 8.30 am on August 6.
The rainfall entry for that period was earlier listed as 56 mm. It has now been changed to 18.7 mm, creating a difference of 37.3 mm.
An IMD official confirmed the discrepancy. Regional meteorological scientist Krishna Mishra explained the correction.
“Safdarjung’s cumulative rainfall data displayed yesterday was 230.5 mm which happened due to incorrect rainfall entry of 56 mm instead of 18.7 mm for August 6 in the table...However it was correctly displayed in the Delhi bulletin issued every day in August. This has been corrected and 197.2 mm is the correct figure, which is being displayed currently,” Krishna Mishra, regional meteorological scientist, IMD, told HT.
IMD rain forecast also misses mark
The rainfall data error came a day after the IMD’s forecast for Delhi also failed to translate into significant showers across the city.
At 2.30 pm on Tuesday, the agency issued an orange alert and forecast light or moderate rain over most parts of Delhi, with heavy showers in some areas. By 5.30 pm, however, Safdarjung had recorded only 4 mm of rain.
Delhi Ridge recorded 3.7 mm, while Mayur Vihar and Pusa received 3 mm each. Several other stations recorded even less, while Pushp Vihar reported no rain during the period.
The IMD has forecast “very light to light rain” for Delhi on Wednesday and Thursday.