TG faces unseasonal chill amid erratic rainfall patterns

According to the Telangana State Development Planning Society (TSDPS), minimum temperatures have consistently remained below seasonal norms. The average minimum temperature for November stood at 15.2°C; 2.5°C lower than the normal 17.7°C. Sirpur (U) in Kumuram Bheem district recorded the lowest temperature at 9.4°C, against the November average of 16.2°C. Sangareddy followed closely with 9.9°C, deviating by 3.4°C from its norm, while Adilabad saw temperatures of 10.1°C, which sis 3.6°C below average.

Even urban centres like Hyderabad were not spared, with Marredpally recording a minimum of 14.6°C, which is 1.8°C below the typical November minimum.

This unseasonal chill has raised concerns for rural communities, where access to heating infrastructure is limited. For agricultural sectors, temperature-sensitive crops are at risk, with potential delays in crop maturity and reduced yields looming over farmers.

While the state experienced a robust monsoon season with an annual cumulative rainfall of 1,033.3 mm—22 per cent above the normal 846.8 mm during the same period—the northeast monsoon has faltered. Traditionally contributing 12 per cent of Telangana’s annual rainfall, the northeast monsoon recorded only 70.7 mm this year, a 35 per cent deficit from the seasonal average of 113.2 mm. November alone saw just 5.9 mm of rainfall, 69 per cent below the expected 19.9 mm.

These deficits have raised concerns for farmers relying on seasonal rains for rabi crops, particularly in rain-fed areas.

Rainfall distribution varied widely across districts. Narayanpet, Wanaparthy, and Mahabubnagar experienced “large excess” rainfall, exceeding 60 per cent above normal levels, while districts like Bhadradri Kothagudem and Mulugu reported “normal” rainfall within 19 per cent of their averages.

Encouragingly, no district recorded deficient or large deficient rainfall this year, a contrast to the drought-like conditions experienced last year. The juxtaposition of below-average temperatures and uneven rainfall patterns has highlighted the dual challenges of Telangana’s changing climate.

While surplus rainfall bolstered reservoir levels and supported early agricultural activities, the deficient northeast monsoon, coupled with cold spells, has raised concerns about the overall stability of agricultural yields.