Monsoon did a turnaround in the past week in the city.

After witnessing the driest June in half a century, when the rainfall deficiency stood at a scary 81.71 per cent, Patna can now boast of a surplus rainfall of three per cent, thanks to the heavy downpour from July 12. The scenario across the state has also improved drastically. (See graphics)

Ashish Sen, the director (radar) of India Meteorological Department (IMD), Patna, told The Telegraph: “After an active entry of monsoon in mid-June, it became weak towards the end of the month because of the stagnant position of the monsoon trough line on the foothills of the Himalayas. A secondary trough line formed over eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Bengal towards the end of the first week of July. Thereafter, the primary trough line lying on the foothills of the Himalayas gradually became weak and the secondary trough became stronger. That led to the heavy rainfall across Bihar from July 12. As a result, the state received 51 per cent surplus rainfall between July 12 and 18.”

Sen claimed that the state could reach the normal level of monsoon rainfall — 19 per cent more or less than the normall rainfall — as the moderate to heavy rainfall would continue till July end. “There would be good rainfall across the entire Gangetic plains, including Bihar, with an even distribution across the state up to end-July. Patna is also likely to receive good rainfall in the next few days,” he said.

Abdus Sattar, the assistant professor of meteorology, Rajendra Agriculture University, Pusa, Samastipur, had a different opinion. “Monsoon will remain active over Bihar in the next two to three days. The intensity (of rainfall) will come down. However, there would no dry spell condition. Districts in the northeast Bihar would receive heavy rainfall,” he said.

The evening bulletin of IMD, Delhi, on Wednesday stated that the southwest monsoon has been active over Bihar and the axis of monsoon trough would continue to run to north of its normal position during next two days. It also gave a forecast of rain and thundershowers at many places across Bihar till July 21.