Study of rainfall departure over catchments of Bihar plains

Abstract

Station wise daily rainfall data of sixty years is used to study rainfall departure and variability  in  Kosi, Kamala/Bagmati/Adhwara and  Gandak/Burhi Gandak catchments during  monsoon  season. Station and catchment wise rainfall time series have been made to compute rainfall departure and Coefficient of Variation (CV). Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), Multivariate ENSO Index (MEI) and ENSO strength based on percentile analysis are used to ascertain their impact on rainfall distribution in the category as excess, normal, deficient and scanty. Results indicate that the variability is greater over Kosi as compared to the other catchments. Probability of normal rainfall is found 0.75 and there is no possibility of scanty rain over the catchments during El Nino and La Nina year. Similarly probabilities of normal, deficient, excess rainfall are found as 0.67, 0.18 and 0.15 respectively during mixed year. SOI has emerged as principal parameter which modifies the departure during El Nino and La Nina year. MEI along with ENSO strength  are more prominent  during  mixed year  particularly to ascertain deficient and excess rain in weak and strong- moderate La Nina  respectively .