TEHRAN –Since the beginning of the current water year (September 23, 2023) till July 5, precipitations have increased by 19 percent compared to the same period in the previous water year, according to Metrological Organization.

However, some parts of the country are still facing rainfall deficits.

Over the mentioned period, the total amount of precipitations reached 244.8 millimeters, while in the previous water year, the figure stood at 204.8 millimeters, indicating a three percent increase compared to the long-term average.

The average temperature of the country has been 13.3 °C since the beginning of fall, September 23, which compared to the three-year period figure,11.3 °C, shows the temperature has increased by 2 °C over time.

In the past year that ended on March 19, the amount of rainfall in the country decreased by 26 percent and 16 percent, respectively, compared to the long-term average, and the previous water year.

Precipitation close to normal

In June, the head of Metrological Organization said, “After four years of consecutive low precipitations, the amount of average rainfall is getting close to normal long-term figures.”

“Currently, the country is witnessing less than one millimeter, about 0.3 percent, short of long-term rainfall,” IRIB quoted Sahar Tajbakhsh as saying.

According to available statistics, South Khorasan, Sistan-Baluchestan, and Yazd provinces have so far received more than 30 percent of the long-term rainfall in the current water year that began on September 23, 2023), she added.

Other provinces like Ardabil, Isfahan, Ilam, North Khorasan, Khuzestan, Qom, Kordestan, Kermanshah, Golestan, and Mazandaran have experienced between 2 up to 29 percent more than normal rains.

However, East Azarbaijan, West Azarbaijan, Alborz, Bushehr, Tehran, Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari, Khorasan Razavi, Zanjan, Semnan, Fars, Qazvin, Kerman, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Gilan, Markazi, and Hormozgan provinces have received between 1 and 30 percent less rainfall than normal.

Tehran, Semnan, and Qazvin provinces have received the lowest amount of precipitation.

El Niño-driven floods

El Niño was the primary driver of extreme rainfall in April and May that caused widespread flash flooding across Iran, as well as Afghanistan and Pakistan, doubling the chance of extreme rainfall, a new World Weather Attribution study found.

Throughout April and May, West Asia was hit by several storms. Flash floods killed at least 500 people in Afghanistan, 124 in Pakistan, and 18 in Iran, destroyed thousands of homes, and wiped out crops, worsening food shortages and threatening agricultural livelihoods.

MT/MG