New Delhi, July 30 -- India's southwest monsoon is set to remain active through the first half of August, with weather officials expecting rainfall to strengthen further after an uneven start to the season. The improving conditions have raised hopes of reducing the rainfall shortfall and supporting agriculture across several regions.
According to the latest data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the country's overall monsoon rainfall deficit has come down to 14 per cent, showing a notable recovery from the larger gaps recorded earlier this season.
Meteorologists have linked the revival to the strongest weather system of this year's monsoon, a deep depression currently moving across Maharashtra. Located within the monsoon trough, the system has pulled large amounts of moisture from both the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.
Its effect has been boosted by the Somali Jet, a powerful low-level wind stream that carries moisture from the Arabian Sea towards the Indian subcontinent. The combined influence of the deep depression, the active monsoon trough and the strengthened Somali Jet has created favourable conditions for widespread rainfall across central and western India.
Heavy rain has already been recorded in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and neighbouring areas, with the weather system expected to continue moving westward over the next few days.
The IMD's rainfall maps show that Central India and Northwest India are now close to normal seasonal rainfall levels. However, deficits continue in the South Peninsula and East and Northeast India.
Several states, including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, have reported a significant improvement in rainfall over the past week.
Forecasters expect fresh low-pressure systems to develop over the Bay of Bengal in early August, keeping the monsoon active. If the trend continues, the national rainfall deficit may narrow further, improving reservoir levels, benefiting kharif crops and easing concerns over agricultural productivity. Meteorologists said the coming fortnight will be crucial in determining how much of the rainfall deficit from June and early July can be recovered.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.