IMD forecasts below-normal rainfall in July

The monthly average rainfall over India is expected to be below normal during July, the India Meteorological Department said on Tuesday in its monthly forecast. The weather department stated that July is most likely to see 94 per cent of the long-period average rainfall (1971-2020). The LPA rainfall over India in July is about 280.4 mm. LPA refers to the rainfall recorded over a particular region for a given period, such as a month or a season, averaged over a long period, typically 30 to 50 years.
The forecast comes after India recorded one of its driest June in more than a century, with rainfall ending 39% below normal and June 2026 becoming the fifth-driest June since 1901.The weather office said parts of northwest India, east-central India and the eastern peninsular region are likely to receive normal to above-normal rainfall, offering some relief after a sluggish start to the monsoon. Northeast India is also expected to remain relatively wetter than the rest of the country. Despite the pessimistic July forecast, the IMD expects monsoon activity to improve in the coming days as fresh low-pressure systems develop over the Bay of Bengal and the monsoon trough shifts southwards, bringing widespread rainfall to parts of central and northern India. With July accounting for one of the largest shares of India's seasonal rainfall, its performance will be crucial for agriculture, reservoir storage, water availability and the overall health of the country's economy in the months ahead.
IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said the monsoon is expected to reach the Delhi-NCR region in the next two to three days. He said below-normal rainfall during July could lead to water stress in some regions and advised farmers to adopt water conservation measures, including switching to less water-intensive crops where feasible. The IMD also forecast above-normal maximum and minimum temperatures across most parts of the country during July and advised people to take precautions against heat and high humidity over the coming week.