IMD: Widespread Monsoon Rains to Persist Across India Till Sept 15
IMD forecasts widespread monsoon rains across most of India until September 15, with heavy showers likely in several states.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has indicated that monsoon activity will remain vigorous across large parts of the country until September 15. The forecast points to a gradual intensification of rainfall over northwest, central, and western India during this period.
In the northwest, isolated to scattered showers are expected over Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. States including Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, and east Uttar Pradesh are also likely to witness scattered rainfall between September 10 and 15. The intensity is expected to pick up over the hills, with fairly widespread to widespread rain forecast for Himachal Pradesh on September 14-15 and Uttarakhand from September 11 to 14.
Central India is bracing for a wet spell, with fairly widespread to widespread rain predicted over west Madhya Pradesh from September 12 to 15, and over east Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, and Chhattisgarh during the September 10-15 window. Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning are also anticipated in parts of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
Eastern regions, including the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim, are expected to receive substantial rainfall throughout the week. Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha are likely to see widespread showers from September 10 to 12, while Bihar may experience similar conditions on September 10.
Western India will remain under the monsoon's influence, with fairly widespread to widespread rain predicted over Konkan and Goa from September 10 to 15. Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada, and Gujarat are likely to receive widespread rainfall between September 12 and 14.
In the south, scattered showers are expected across Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Rayalaseema, and Tamil Nadu. Kerala, Mahe, and Telangana are forecast to see fairly widespread to widespread rain during the middle of the week, with Lakshadweep also expected to receive heavy showers on September 10-11.
This active phase comes against a backdrop of a seasonal deficit. IMD data shows that between June 1 and September 8, India recorded 645.5 mm of rainfall, which is 14% below the normal of 754.5 mm. The southwest monsoon is crucial for the country, providing over 70% of its annual rainfall and sustaining nearly 45% of the net sown area that is rain-fed.
In the 24 hours ending Wednesday morning, heavy to very heavy rainfall was recorded in parts of northeast and eastern India, with Tripura receiving the highest accumulation.