August has started with substantial rainfall in several parts of India, but the monsoon has yet to show a consistently strong pattern nationwide.
India recorded 81.6 mm of rain between August 1 and 10, compared with the normal 89.8 mm, resulting in a 9 per cent deficit for the period, according to state-wise rainfall data from the India Meteorological Department.
The rainfall distribution remains highly uneven. Some areas have experienced excess or near-normal precipitation, while significant parts of central, western and northern India continue to face rainfall shortages.
Delhi has emerged as a major exception, receiving 157.4 mm of rain against its normal August 1-10 rainfall of 63.8 mm, translating into a 147 per cent surplus. Bihar has also recorded above-normal rainfall, while Gujarat, Odisha, West Bengal, Kerala and Goa have witnessed considerable precipitation during the first 10 days of the month.
However, several other states remain in deficit. Punjab is 38 per cent below normal, Maharashtra 34 per cent, and Andhra Pradesh and Telangana around 28 per cent each. Madhya Pradesh has recorded a 23 per cent deficit, while Rajasthan is 20 per cent below normal. Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh are also experiencing below-average rainfall.
Recent satellite imagery from ISRO indicates that the weather pattern could undergo another change.
A broad zone of intense cloud cover can be seen over eastern and central India, linked to a fresh low-pressure system that has moved inland from the Bay of Bengal.
As the system progresses further inland, it could bring stronger rainfall to parts of central and eastern India and help narrow existing deficits. Its trajectory will be particularly important for regions currently experiencing significant rainfall shortages.
The August rainfall picture so far highlights a clear divide: rain is increasing in several areas, but its distribution remains far from uniform. With a new Bay of Bengal system moving inland, the monsoon has another chance to spread rainfall more widely, although the first 10 days of August have not produced a uniformly strong performance across India.
