The minimum temperature in Delhi on October 16, was 21.2 degree centigrade, being 2 degree above normal. In Calcutta it was 25.2 degree centigrade being one degree above normal and in Mumbai it was 26.1 degree centigrade being 3 degree above normal. But the minimum temperature in Chennai which still remained under the spell of monsoon was normal at 24.4 degree centigrade.

Last week's depression over east central Arabian Sea further intensified into a deep depression in the early morning of October 8 when it was located about 800 km southwest of Veraval in Gujarat. By the evening of October 9, the system weakened into a low pressure area over westcentral Arabian Sea and became unimportant later. Heavy rains and high velocity winds on october 4, damaged 25 per cent cotton crops in Punjab.

Another low pressure area was formed over west central Bay of Bengal on October 13. It concentrated into a deep depression off south Andhra Pradesh coast by the same evening and was centred about 150 km south-south-east of Machilipatnam. The system moved in a west-north-westerly direction and crossed Andhra Pradesh coast near Narsapur around midnight of October 14 causing torrential rains and storm. Heavy damage was done to the standing crops and property.

Again on October 11, a well marked low pressure area was formed over central Arabian Sea which intensified into a depression centred about 800 km west-south-west of Goa. It moved further west-north-westward and intensified into a deep depression on the evening of October 12. This moving in a north-westerly direction, weakened into a depression when it lay centred about 1000 km south-west of Veraval by theevening of October 14.

Meteorological experts, however, attributed the origin of these pressures and depressions to the usual conditions in the retreating monsoon tracts caused every year.

CAUTION The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has marked the revival of this depression over west central Arabian Sea which intensified and lay centred at 1530 hrs on Friday about 530 km southwest of Veraval. The revival of this system is due to the influence of westerly disturbances.

It is likely to intensify further and move in a north-northeasterly direction developing into a possible cyclone. If the cyclonic conditions are averted, the clouds and rains over Delhi and neighbouring places of northwest India will retreat by October 19.

Thick clouds were noticed over Gujarat, Vidarbha and Telangana on October 16. Low and medium clouds were also seen over west MP, northwest India and southern peninsula. Rainfall activity is likely to increase in northern and central parts of the country. Normal rainfallactivity will continue over southern peninsula.

Rain or thundershowers are likely to occur at most places in Gujarat, south Rajasthan, west MP, Vidarbha, Telangana, coastal Andhra Pradesh, coastal Orissa, coastal and south interior Karnataka and Andaman and Nicobar Islands and at many places in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, west UP, north Rajasthan, Konkan and Goa, Marathwada, north interior Karnataka, east MP, interior Orissa and Gangetic West Bengal.

Rain or thundershowers are also expected at a few places in central Maharashtra, Kerala, Lakshadweep and Tamil Nadu and at isolated places in east UP, Bihar and sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim. Isolated heavy to very heavy rain is likely over western Himalayas, south Rajasthan, Gujarat, Vidarbha, Telangana, Konkan and Goa, coastal Karnataka, coastal Andhra Pradesh, coastal Orissa and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

After September 30 till date the cumulative rainfall was normal to excess in 22 out of 35 meteorologicalsubdivisions of the country.

TEMPERATURES

Day temperatures were more than 35 degree centigrade in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, west MP, plains of UP, Bihar and Gangetic West Bengal. Day temperatures ranged between 30 to 35 degree centigrade in rest regions of the country except in hill regions, Kerala, interior Karnataka, north Tamil Nadu and coastal Andhra Pradesh were these were below 30 degree centigrade.

Day temperatures were above normal by 2 to 4 degree centigrade in Gujarat, Rajasthan, plains of UP, Bihar, Gangetic West Bengal, MP and Orissa. Day temperatures were below normal by 2 to 3 degree centigrade in coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, Kerala and south interior Karnataka.

Night temperatures were above 25 degree centigrade in Gujarat, west Rajasthan, northeast MP and plains of east UP and Bihar. Night temperatures were between 20 to 25 degree centigrade in most parts of the country except in hill regions where these were below 20 degree centigrade. Night temperatures were abovenormal by 3 to 4 degree centigrade in northwest and adjoining central India. The night temperatures remained normal in rest of the country.

IMPROVEMENT IN WATER RESERVOIR SITUATIONThe total live storage in 63 important reservoirs in different parts of the country monitored by the Central Water Commission for the week ending October 9, was 102.89 TM Cum or 83 per cent of the full reservoir level (FRL) as against 99.54 TM Cum or 80 per cent FRL during the corresponding period of the previous year.

The average live storage of the last 10 years is 98.49 TM Cum or 79 per cent FRL. The current storage is nearly 83 per cent of the designed utilisable storage, 103 per cent of the last year's storage and 104 per cent of the average of the last 10 years.

There are 37 projects having storage capacity more than 80 per cent, 11 projects having storage capacity between 50 to 80 per cent and 9 projects having storage capacity more 30 to 50 per cent. The remaining 6 projects are having storage up to 30 per centonly.