IMD: Dry conditions to prevail in most parts until month end

3 min readBengaluruJul 17, 2026 05:00 AM IST

Dry conditions will prevail over large parts of the country for the remaining days of July, except for the east and northeast regions where rainfall will continue, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday.

“Overall, rainfall activity is likely to be normal to above normal over most parts of east and northeast India and below normal over the remaining parts of the country during July 16-22. Normal rainfall is likely over central India during July 22-29,” the IMD said in its weekly forecast.

The IMD had forecast below-normal rainfall (about 94 per cent of the long period average) over the country during July. At the end of the first half of the month, the country’s rainfall deficit stood at 8 per cent. With the rainfall having taken a break since July 9 over most parts of the country, the country-wide seasonal deficit has slipped to 24 per cent.

As for most of the remaining days of July, the monsoonal trough – an elongated zone of low pressure areas prominent during this season – would be positioned much to the north of its normal position and remain closer to the Himalayan foothills. Correspondingly, the rainfall over south, central and northwest India expected to remains subdued. Rainfall over central India is likely to pick up towards the last week of July, when this trough would swing back to its normal position, the Met office said.

IMD also said that strong northwesterly winds will be dominant and prevent the inflow of monsoonal winds that cause rainfall.

According to the latest forecast, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to occur over Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and east and western regions of Uttar Pradesh till July 22. Very heavy rain (120-200mm in 24-hours) warning prevails for Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and east Uttar Pradesh during July 19-21.

Likewise, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura are bracing for very heavy rainfall which is expected to continue till July 19.

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Heatwave conditions will prevail over coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, Rayalaseema, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal on July 17. Muggy weather will prevail over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam and Rayalaseema till July 22.