Yangon’s rainfall is already above the annual average, the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology says. This file picture shows people walking in downtown Yangon during one particularly heavy shower in July.

RAINFALL totals in lower Myanmar have already exceeded the yearly average thanks to a stronger than expected monsoon season, the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology said last week.

Rainfall totals at Yangon (Kaba Aye station), Pathein and Mawlamyine to October 29 were up 14.9 percent, 31.7pc and 3.5pc respectively on their annual averages.

“We measured 122.09 inches at Kaba Aye, 136.50 inches at Pathein and 196.42 inches at Mawlamyine to October 29,” the official said. “Lower Myanmar received good rainfall in the early monsoon period and then in the later period of the monsoon we got more rain from the remnants of a storm in the South China Sea.”

He said 11 new rain records were set across the country during the 2009 monsoon, mostly in Mon State, Ayeyarwady Division, Bago Division and Rakhine State.

However, rainfall in most areas of upper Myanmar was below average because of a lack of rain in the early monsoon period and there is little chance of further significant falls before the end of 2009.

“Mandalay has received 26.85 inches to October 29, below its yearly average of 32.0 inches. Magway recorded slightly above-average rainfall – 31.42 so far compared to 31.05 inches on average – while Bago is a bit down, at 114.21 inches compared to an annual average of 130.22 inches,” he said.

Sittwe recorded 166.54 inches to the end of monsoon, also below its average of 183.98.

In 2009, the monsoon period lasted for 135 days, below its “normal” of 145 days.

“This year we once again had a short monsoon period but this has been fairly common since 1988,” he said, adding that in 2008 the monsoon period was 129 days.

“The monsoon onset was normal across Myanmar, it spread to the whole country by May 26 and withdrew from the country on October 7,” he said.

The monsoon withdrew from northern Myanmar on September 11 and the central region on September 22. Its withdrawal from lower Myanmar was retarded by storms elsewhere in Southeast Asia but it finally withdrew from the delta region on October 5 and Tanintharyi Division on October 7.