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Informist, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026

MUMBAI – The intensity and spread of rainfall over Maharashtra has declined significantly in August so far after recording a surplus in July. Though forecasts suggest the formation of active weather systems over the country, none of them are likely to bring widespread or sufficient rainfall across Maharashtra for the rest of the month, which is likely to increase the state's rainfall deficiency in August, private weather forecasting agency Skymet said.

The three land-locked subdivisions of Maharashtra--Vidarbha, Marathwada, and central Maharashtra--had recovered from the shortfall in precipitation in June due to ample rainfall in July. While the deficiency in Vidarbha and Marathwada had reduced to single digit, central Maharashtra had recorded a surplus of over 35% in July. 

However, rainfall in August was scattered and weak, and central Maharashtra's surplus declined to 15% from 35%, the weather agency said. Vidarbha and Marathwada have recorded a shortfall of 24% each so far in August. The deficit in these regions is likely to worsen further in August, the agency said.

In July, weather systems which formed over the Bay of Bengal travelled across the country and triggered widespread rainfall over Maharashtra. The last two systems which formed over the Bay of Bengal altered their course and tracked along the Indo-Gangetic plains, keeping Maharashtra at a significant distance from the core weather activity caused by the system. Only the peripherals of Vidarbha and some parts of Marathwada adjoining Madhya Pradesh received light to moderate showers.

The weather systems which are likely to come up over the Bay of Bengal in the coming days are expected to end up following the same path, with only some light showers likely over a few parts of Vidarbha, the weather agency said. With limited rainfall expected over Maharashtra, central Maharashtra's surplus is likely to shrink further and could slip below the below-normal category. Water stress in Vidarbha and Marathwada is expected to increase, impacting kharif crops--mainly tur, soybean, and cotton--in the region.

The Konkan coast in Maharashtra, which includes Mumbai, is also unlikely to see adequate rainfall for the rest of August, the weather agency said. During Jun. 1–Aug. 21, Maharashtra received 7% below normal rainfall at 681.4 millimetres. This deficit is likely to grow further by the end of August. Rainfall in September is likely to remain deficient, taking a toll on the kharif crops in the state, the agency said.  End

Reported by Shreya Shetty

Edited by Akul Nishant Akhoury

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