Rainfall

June July 2026: District wise rainfall in India’s SW Monsoon

In July 2026, India received 290.3 mm (294.3 mm in July 2025, 306.6 mm in July 2024[i], 318.4 in July 2023[ii] and 327.7 mm in July 2022[iii]) rainfall, 3.5% above (4.9% above normal in July 2025, 9.3 % above in July 2024, 13.5% above normal in July 2023 and 16.8% above normal in July 2022) the normal July rainfall of 280.5 mm as per India Meteorological department. So this is the fifth consecutive year when rainfall in July is above normal, the quantum has gone down with each passing year during these last five years.  In July 2021, the rainfall was 266.1 mm[iv], about 6.7% below normal and  in July 2020, the rainfall was 257.1 mm[v], or about 9.9% below normal.

Continue reading “June July 2026: District wise rainfall in India’s SW Monsoon”
Rainfall

June 2026: High Rainfall district days in India’s SW Monsoon

An analysis of the daily district wise rainfall data from India Meteorological Department (IMD) for June 2026, the first month of India’s South West Monsoon 2026 shows that there were only 197  instances (415 in June 2025, 384 in June 2024[i], 451 in June 2023[ii], 462 in June 2022[iii] and 442 in June 2021) when district rainfall of a day was above 50 mm. The rainfall of India in June 2026 was 99.5 mm, the rainfall of India in June 2025 was 180 mm, the rainfall of India in June 2024 was 147.2 mm[iv], the rainfall in June 2023 was 148.6 mm, the rainfall of India in June 2022 was 152.3 mm[v]. The figures and analysis are based on IMD’s daily district wise rainfall bulletins for the 24 hours ending at 0830 am each day. The numbers are the lowest in 2026 compared to those in last six years. The next high number, 384 in June 2024, is almost double the number in 2026.

Continue reading “June 2026: High Rainfall district days in India’s SW Monsoon”
Rainfall

SW Monsoon 2025: District wise rainfall in India

In the just concluded South West Monsoon 2025, India received 937.2 mm (934.8 mm in SW Monsoon 2024, 820 mm in SW Monsoon 2023, 925 mm in SW Monsoon 2022[i]) rainfall, about 107.9% (107.6% in 2024, 94.45 % in 2023, 106.5% in 2022) of the Normal SW Monsoon rainfall of 868.6 mm as per India Meteorological Department (IMD). This rainfall is categorised as normal rainfall.  The rainfall in SW monsoon 2025 is 5th highest since 2001 and 38th highest since 1901.

Continue reading “SW Monsoon 2025: District wise rainfall in India”
Rainfall

High Rainfall days in India’s districts in August 2023

An analysis of the daily district wise rainfall data from India Meteorological Department (IMD) for the month of Aug 2023, shows that there were 500 (667 in Aug 2022[i] and 431 in Aug 2021) instances when district rainfall of a day in a district was above 50 mm. Such high rainfall instances included 424 (553 in Aug 2022 and 371 in Aug 2021) instances when rainfall was 50-100 mm, 67 (98 in Aug 2022 and 48 in Aug 2021) instances when it was 100-150 mm, 5 (13 in Aug 2022 and 11 in Aug 2021) times it was 150-200 mm and 4 (3 in Aug 2022 and 1 in Aug 2021) above 200 mm. Interestingly, in June 2023[ii] and July 2023[iii] there were 451 and 855 instances when rainfall was above 50 mm, while in June 2022[iv] and July 2022[v] there were 462 and 809 instances when rainfall in a district was above 50 mm. The July 2023[vi] and June 2023[vii] rainfall over India was 13.1% above normal and 10.1% below normal respectively, while the July 2022[viii] and June 2022[ix] rainfall all over India was 16.8% above normal and 8% below normal respectively.

Continue reading “High Rainfall days in India’s districts in August 2023”
Rainfall

June Aug 2023: District wise rainfall in  in India’s SW Monsoon

In the just concluded month of Aug 2023, India received just 162.7 mm (263.8 mm in Aug 2022, 3.5% above the normal[i]) or 36.2% below normal rainfall against Aug normal rainfall of 254.9 mm as per India Meteorological department (IMD). In Aug 2021, the rainfall was 195.9 mm[ii], about 24.13% below normal and  in Aug 2020, the rainfall was 327 mm[iii], or about 26.6% above normal.

Continue reading “June Aug 2023: District wise rainfall in  in India’s SW Monsoon”
Rainfall

June 2023: District wise rainfall in India’s SW Monsoon

In the just concluded month June 2023, the first month of India’s South West 2023 monsoon, India received 148.6 mm rainfall, 10% below the normal June rainfall of 165.3 mm as per India Meteorological department. In June 2022, the rainfall was 152.3 mm, 8% below normal, in June 2021, the rainfall was 182.9 mm[i], about 11% above normal and  in June 2020, the rainfall was 196.9 mm, or about 18% above normal and in June 2019 it was 33% below normal.

Continue reading “June 2023: District wise rainfall in India’s SW Monsoon”
Monsoon · Rainfall

SW Monsoon 2022: District wise rainfall in India

In the just concluded South West Monsoon 2022, India received 925 mm rainfall, about 106.5% of the Normal SW Monsoon rainfall of 868.6 mm or 6.5% more than the normal SW Monsoon rainfall as per India Meteorological department. This rainfall will now be categorised as normal rainfall though the distribution has been far from normal, both temporally and spatially. The monsoon withdrawal[i], however is yet to happen from most of India, except a small part in North West India including parts of Rajasthan and Haryana. IMD has predicted that the withdrawal of monsoon will not be completed till at least Oct 15 as due to a fresh cyclonic activity in Bay of Bengal, rainfall over MP and UP is likely to continue in first week fo Oct 2022.

Continue reading SW Monsoon 2022: District wise rainfall in India
Monsoon · Rainfall

High Rainfall days in India’s districts in SW Monsoon 2021

An analysis of the daily district wise rainfall data from India Meteorological Department (IMD) for India’s South West Monsoon 2021 shows that there were 2079 instances when a district rainfall of a day was above 50 mm. Such high rainfall instances included 1712 instances when rainfall was 50-100 mm, 288 instances when it was 100-150 mm, 53 times it was 150-200 mm and 26 times above 200 mm. Out of 694 districts of India, 527 districts or, about 76% of the districts experienced such high rainfall days during SW monsoon 2021.

Continue reading “High Rainfall days in India’s districts in SW Monsoon 2021”
Agriculture · Climate Change · Kerala

Paddy farming in times of climate change – field notes – A sequel

Guest Article by Dr. Sreeja KG and Dr. Madhusoodhanan CG

Climate change and its impacts in the tropics are changing the once familiar landscapes, once certain weather patterns, once secure living spaces beyond recognition. The disasters that can be as local as a tidal surge to national level episodes of cyclones, wildfires and massive floods are being managed in the same administrative mode as has been the practice during the more forgiving past: without training, without relevant real time information, without involvement of the communities and often merely with the strong will and dedication of the field staff and local volunteers. With events far in between, episodic and with time to recoup, we have been spared total and irrevocable breakdown of the system and society. But for how long?

Continue reading “Paddy farming in times of climate change – field notes – A sequel”