New Delhi, Jul 30 (IANS): The weekly cumulative percentage rainfall departure for the country, as a whole, is 15 per cent from its Long Period Average (LPA) during the week while the seasonal cumulative percentage rainfall departure from LPA since June 1 till July 28 is minus 2 per cent, the India Meteorological Department said on Thursday.

Seasonal cumulative is calculated from June 1.

Delhi-NCR and several parts of northwest India received good rains with central Delhi receiving 72 mm (Safdarjung) and Lodi Road (73.4 mm rainfall just between 2.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. on Thursday, IMD data showed. Ridge (49.3 mm) and Aya Nagar (34.8 mm) in south Delhi too received large quantum of rainfall, throwing Delhi's traffic out of gear during evening peak hours with large parts waterlogged.

Forecast for next two weeks, based on NWP model consensus, shows that "on-going normal to above normal rainfall is likely to continue during week 1 over central parts of India and adjoining northwest plains of India, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal with slight reduction over these areas in week 2. Subdued activity is likely to continue during week 1 over Peninsular India with slight improvement over southwest coast of India (coastal Karnataka and Kerala) during the week," the IMD sad in a release.

East and northeast India witnessed a minus 51 per cent departure in rainfall this week from normal while for the cumulative for the season amounted to minus 18 per cent departure. Northwest India witnessed 1 per cent departure from normal while for the season, it was minus 7 per cent.

Central India recorded a whopping 53 per cent departure this week but the cumulative for the season was only 2 per cent. South peninsula witnessed 37 per cent departure from normal rains for the week and mere minus 2 per cent departure for the season.

Fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy falls is very likely over Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Bihar during July 29-31 and over east Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh during July 29 and August 2. Its intensity is likely to decrease thereafter.

Isolated extremely heavy falls are likely over Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh on July 30 and over east Madhya Pradesh on July 31.

Fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy falls likely to continue over east Rajasthan and west Madhya Pradesh during July 30-August 2. It is likely to increase from July 30 with isolated extremely heavy falls likely over east Rajasthan during July 30 to August 1 and over west Madhya Pradesh on July 31, 2021. It is likely to decrease in intensity thereafter with possibility of isolated heavy falls over these areas.

Fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy falls very likely over Uttar Pradesh during most days of the week.