Uneven monsoon to persist as IMD warns of heavy rain in northeast, dry spell elsewhere
Heavy to very heavy rainfall is forecast over the northeastern region and parts of eastern India, while much of northwest, central and peninsular India is expected to see below-normal rainfall through mid-July.
NEW DELHI: India is headed for another uneven stretch of the monsoon, with heavy to very heavy rain set to continue over the northeast and parts of eastern India, while much of northwest, central and peninsular India is expected to remain relatively dry over the coming days, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The IMD has forecast isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall over the Northeast, West Bengal and Bihar during the next two to three days. East Uttar Pradesh is also likely to receive heavy rain over the next four to five days.
The warning follows extremely heavy rainfall of 21cm or more in Meghalaya and very heavy rainfall of 12-20cm in East Uttar Pradesh on 11 July. Heavy rain was also recorded in Uttarakhand, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Bihar, while thunderstorms with squally winds of up to 80 kmph hit parts of Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Punjab and Kutch.
The weather office has also issued a low to moderate flash flood risk for several districts in Assam and Meghalaya, including East Khasi Hills, East Garo Hills, West Khasi Hills, Cachar and Jaintia Hills, warning that saturated soils could trigger surface runoff and flooding in low-lying areas over the next 24 hours.
Across northern India, widespread rainfall is expected over Uttarakhand through 18 July and over Himachal Pradesh during 17-18 July. Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan are likely to see isolated to scattered showers through the week.
Central India is expected to receive scattered rainfall, with isolated heavy showers forecast over Chhattisgarh during 14-15 July. In western India, scattered rain is likely over Gujarat, Madhya Maharashtra and Saurashtra & Kutch, while rainfall over Konkan & Goa is expected to intensify during 15-18 July.
Looking further ahead, the IMD expects widespread rainfall to persist across the Northeast, eastern India and the western Himalayan region through mid-July. In contrast, rainfall over much of northwest India, central India and the southern peninsula is projected to remain below normal.
The IMD has forecast below-normal rainfall across the country through 15 July, with rainfall during 16-22 July also expected to remain slightly below normal. Kerala, parts of east-central India and the Himalayan foothills are, however, expected to receive above-normal rainfall during the week of 16-22 July.
About the Author
Vijay C. Roy is a journalist with over 21 years of experience covering various news beats across different organisations such as Business Standard and The Tribune. In the past, he has covered beats such as finance, auto, MSME, commodities, FMCG, pharmaceutical, agriculture, IT/ITES, infrastructure and start-ups. He joined Mint in February 2025, and covers agriculture, food processing, fertilizers, environment and climate change, bringing over two decades of experience reporting on farm policy, food inflation, crop trade, and rural livelihoods.<br><br>Vijay’s areas of reporting include food security and climate change policies, focusing on their impact on different stakeholders and their implications. His expertise lies in simplifying complex agri-economic issues such as edible oil import dependence, cotton and wheat trends, fertiliser subsidies, and climate-related risks. He has covered key developments including global supply disruptions and evolving trade policies, offering both macroeconomic perspective and field-level context. Known for his credible and balanced reporting, he follows a rigorous, fact-based approach that prioritises accuracy and context. He is driven by a commitment to public interest, aiming to make critical agricultural and economic issues accessible while contributing to informed policy and industry discussions.
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