Monsoon in no mood to stop till August, rain deficit shrinks to 14%

India's southwest monsoon has strengthened as a deep depression moves across Maharashtra. The active phase could further reduce the rainfall deficit and support reservoirs and kharif crops.Central India and Northwest India are now recording near-normal seasonal rainfall. (Photo: Windy)India's southwest monsoon is showing no signs of weakening and is instead expected to gain further momentum during the first half of August, raising hopes of a strong recovery after weeks of uneven rainfall across the country.The India Meteorological Department's latest rainfall data shows the all-India monsoon rainfall deficit has narrowed to 14%, a significant improvement from much steeper shortfalls recorded earlier this season.Meteorologists say the revival is being driven by the strongest weather system of the monsoon so far, a deep depression moving across Maharashtra.Embedded within the monsoon trough, the deep depression has drawn enormous amounts of moisture from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. Its impact has been further amplified by the Somali Jet, the powerful low-level wind stream that transports moisture across the Arabian Sea into the Indian subcontinent. The interaction between the deep depression, the active monsoon trough and the strengthened Somali Jet has created ideal conditions for widespread and intense rainfall over large parts of central and western India. Heavy showers have already lashed Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and adjoining regions, with the system expected to continue its westward journey over the next few days.According to the IMD's rainfall maps, Central India and Northwest India are now recording near-normal seasonal rainfall, while the South Peninsula and East and Northeast India continue to experience deficits.At the state level, several regions including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh have seen a marked improvement in rainfall over the past week.Forecasters expect this recovery to continue into early August as fresh low-pressure systems are likely to develop over the Bay of Bengal. These systems are expected to maintain an active monsoon phase and deliver widespread rainfall across central, western and parts of northern India.If the current trend persists, the all-India rainfall deficit could narrow even further in the coming weeks, improving water storage in reservoirs, benefiting kharif crops and easing concerns over agricultural productivity.With the monsoon entering one of its most active phases of the season, meteorologists say the coming fortnight will be crucial in determining whether India can erase much of the rainfall deficit accumulated during June and early July.- EndsPublished By: Sibu Kumar TripathiPublished On: Jul 30, 2026 15:43 IST