38% Surplus Rainfall in the First 9 Days of July

09-Jul-2026 05:31 PM

New Delhi: The Meteorological Department states that the Southwest Monsoon has now covered the entire country, having advanced into the remaining areas of the North Arabian Sea, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Haryana. Although the monsoon typically covers the entire country by July 8, it was delayed by just one day this time. Notably, over the past four years, the monsoon had reached the entire country ahead of this scheduled date.

According to the Meteorological Department, between the years 2000 and 2026, the Southwest Monsoon covered the entire country in the month of June only six times. It reached all of India in the shortest time—on June 16, 2013—about 13 years ago; total rainfall recorded at that time was 106 percent of the average. Conversely, the monsoon arrived across the entire country at its latest—on August 15, 2002—about 24 years ago; rainfall was also deficient that year.

The Meteorological Department has forecast that monsoon rainfall across the country during the June-September period of 2026 will be 90 percent of the normal average level. According to the department, the country received 204.7 mm of rainfall between June 1 and July 9 this year, which was 14 percent less than the Long Period Average (LPA) of 239.1 mm.

During this period, rainfall deficits of 38 percent in the East and Northeast regions, 15 percent in the Southern Peninsula, and 9 percent in the Northwest states were recorded, while the Central region received 3 percent excess rainfall.

Thirteen states, including Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Kerala, and Assam, received below-normal rainfall. However, during the period of July 1–9, the country received 38 percent more rainfall than the long-term average. The monsoon had been very weak during June.