Where is the rain? Delay in monsoon picking up in Maharashtra worries many

July, however, has been a mixed bag for Maharashtra, with the state receiving 183 mm of the normal 194.6 mm of rainfall it is supposed to get. Since July 1, most regions have seen large dry periods.

Of the last six weeks of monsoon, only one week saw plentiful rain in Marathwada and just two weeks each in Vidarbha and central Maharashtra.

As per the IMD, the monsoon has witnessed an increased number of intense rainfall events–defined as periods when a high amount of rainfall is received within a short time.

However, according to the IMD, only 17 per cent of the districts across the country for which rainfall data is available have reported a large excess in rainfall. Thirty-two per cent of the districts have reported normal rain, while 26 per cent have reported deficit rain and 9 per cent have had large deficits.

The monsoon systems continue to be normal, with parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan now receiving heavy to very heavy rainfall, the IMD said, adding that the present break in the rain in Maharashtra would likely end soon, with heavy to very heavy rain expected from Sunday.