End of dry spell? Monsoon shifts gears to cover central India, reaches Delhi on...

The Southwest Monsoon has advanced across India's western coast, central plains, and northeastern borders, setting up a crucial transition for agrarian regions in the north and east even as the country grapples with a steep nationwide rainfall deficit. 

According to the weather office, the current advance has successfully covered pockets of south Gujarat along the west coast while consolidating its footprint over major swathes of central and northeastern India. The weather department noted that while western expansion is hitting a temporary plateau, eastern and northern states are next in line for full coverage. 

Naresh Yadav, Senior scientist at India Meteorological Department (IMD), said, “The monsoon has covered parts of south Gujarat along the west coast. The map shows coverage extending across parts of Madhya Pradesh, most of Chhattisgarh, and the entire Northeast region. Some areas of Bihar and Jharkhand in East India remain uncovered. Our forecast for the next 3 to 4 days suggests that while the monsoon may cover some additional parts of Gujarat, the expansion there will be limited. Meanwhile, the remaining areas of East India, specifically Jharkhand and Bihar, are expected to be covered, as is Chhattisgarh in Central India. It is projected to reach parts of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand within the next 3 to 5 days…” 

The current boundary lines track steady momentum through the heart of the country, ensuring the entirety of the Northeast and the majority of Chhattisgarh are well within the monsoon zone. Central India is seeing consistent progress with advanced configurations moving systematically into Madhya Pradesh, helping offset local shortfalls. 

The IMD's multi-day outlook highlights a favorable atmospheric window that will drive the rain-bearing systems into remaining uncovered zones of Bihar and Jharkhand, alongside a northern push into Uttarakhand and India’s largest agricultural state, Uttar Pradesh. Farmers in these regions are advised to track local updates closely as the arrival aligns with critical agricultural timelines. 

Data from the IMD indicates that the aggregate rainfall deficit across India for the early phase of the season has hovered around a staggering 46% threshold. A prolonged pause in the monsoon's momentum earlier in the month, coupled with weak moisture transport, has left large parts of the country experiencing acute rainfall deficiency. While a gradual revival is underway, meteorologists note that the severe structural deficit has already placed significant pressure on water resources and early-season Kharif crop sowing.