The second monsoon month of July ended with 13 per cent surplus rain in Jharkhand.

Met statistics revealed that against a normal of 522.2 mm till July 31, the state actually recorded 588.9 mm, an excess of 13 per cent.

Last year, July had ended in 13 per cent deficit rain.

Data revealed that this year's June, the first monsoon month too, ended in a surplus rain of 34 per cent.

Weathermen said that this was for the first time in recent years both the initial monsoon months - June and July - ended on a surplus note.

July had begun well with most districts finding place in rain gainers list but after mid- July due to subdued monsoon activity the rainfall reached a deficit figure.

But, heavy to very heavy rainfall because of the impact of a low pressure originating from the Bay of Bengal towards July - end helped in turning the deficit rain to surplus.

According to rain data, Lohardaga district with 81 per cent surplus rain topped the districts registering excess rain.

Jamtara with 70 per cent surplus rain was placed second followed by Koderma which at the end of July recorded surplus rain of 53 per cent.

Dhanbad was next with 51 per cent surplus rain while Ramgarh followed close with 47 per cent surplus rain.

According to rain data,15 districts figure in the rain surplus list while nine other districts including Godda, Gumla, Pakur, Garhwa and Simdega figure in rain losers list.

Data further revealed that on July 31, Ranchi recorded 182.4 mm, the second highest rainfall ever. The capital has in its credit recorded the highest ever rainfall of 204.8 mm on July 26, 2017. On July 1, 1990 Ranchi had recorded 146.2 mm.

Head of Ranchi Met Centre Abhishek Anand said widespread heavy rain in the last few days of July helped in recovering the deficit and registering surplus rain.

He said that rainfall activity would be restricted in the next one week due to a subdued monsoon.

However, the Met official said that they were expecting normal monsoon rain in August.

IMD - New Delhi had already announced that the monthly rainfall in August over the country as a whole is likely to be normal - 94 to 105 per cent of Long Period Average (LPA ).

The normal rain in the month of August, calculated on the basis of a 30-year long-term average is around 280 mm.

This year, the southwest monsoon arrived three days early in Jharkhand on June 12.

After a good shower show and heavy rains in several districts due to a vigorous monsoon, the surplus figures kept increasing and reached 109 per cent around June 19.

The figures witnessed a gradual decrease later as the monsoon currents became weak over Jharkhand as the trough shifted towards the foothills of Himalayas.