Low-pressure area seen over northwest Bay of Bengal, heavy rains likely in Odisha: IMD
The weather agency also forecast isolated heavy-to-very-heavy rainfall over the Western Himalayan region during the week
A low-pressure area is likely to form over the northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining areas around 12 August, triggering heavy to very heavy rainfall over Odisha between Wednesday and Friday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
The weather agency also forecast isolated heavy-to-very-heavy rainfall over the Western Himalayan region during the week. In northwest India, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Uttarakhand are likely to see fairly widespread to widespread rainfall during 11-16 August. Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Punjab are expected to receive widespread rain on 11 August and 13 August, while East Rajasthan is likely to see similar conditions during 11-12 August.
Rainfall
India is likely to receive less than 94% of the long-period average (LPA) rainfall in August-September, according to IMD. The August-September LPA, based on the 1971-2020 climatological record, is 422.8 mm.
According to official data, the country received 1% above-normal rainfall in July, a sharp turnaround after a 35% deficit in June. India received 283.3 mm of rainfall during July against the long-period average of 280.5 mm, reducing the overall deficit during June-July to 12.6%.
In central India, West Madhya Pradesh is expected to receive widespread rainfall during 11-12 August, while East Madhya Pradesh is likely to see rain through 16 August. Vidarbha and Chhattisgarh are also expected to witness increased rainfall activity during the week.
East India is likely to remain wet, with Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim expected to receive widespread rainfall through 16 August. Jharkhand and Bihar are likely to see increased rainfall from 12 and 13 August, respectively.
In western India, Konkan and Goa are likely to receive widespread rainfall throughout the period, while Gujarat is expected to see such conditions through 13 August.
The IMD has warned of a low-to-moderate flash-flood risk across parts of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand over the next 24 hours amid rainfall forecasts.
In East Rajasthan, the risk has been flagged in Baran, Bundi, Jhalawar and Kota districts. In Madhya Pradesh, Agar Malwa, Mandsaur, Neemuch, Rajgarh, Sheopur and Shivpuri are likely to be affected. In Himachal Pradesh, Mandi, Shimla, Sirmaur and Solan districts are at risk. In Uttarakhand, the warning covers Almora, Bageshwar, Chamoli, Champawat, Dehradun, Nainital, Pauri Garhwal, Pithoragarh, Rudraprayag, Tehri Garhwal and Uttarkashi.
The weather agency said surface runoff and inundation could occur in areas with saturated soils and low-lying locations due to expected rainfall.
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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