The Southwest Monsoon has arrived in Vidarbha well ahead of schedule, with parts of Gadchiroli district receiving rainfall on May 28—an unprecedented 18 days before the region’s usual onset date of June 15. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), this marks the earliest monsoon arrival in Vidarbha in the last two decades.
The early rains were first reported in Sironcha, Aheri, and parts of Bhamragad taluka, located near the Chhattisgarh and Telangana borders. The IMD attributed the early onset to a combination of an active monsoon trough, a depression over the Arabian Sea, and favorable weather conditions.
This early arrival carries significant implications for agriculture and water management in the region. However, the IMD cautioned that despite the early onset, the monsoon’s further advancement may pause due to currently unfavorable climatic conditions.
“Rainfall activity is expected to reduce from May 30 onward,” said Praveen Kumar, Scientist at the Regional Meteorological Centre, Nagpur. “Humidity will persist, but this is not the right time to begin sowing, as consistent rain is not forecast in the coming days,” he added.
Data shows that early monsoon onset in Vidarbha has been rare. In recent years, the onset typically occurred around or after mid-June. After the IMD revised the official monsoon onset date for Vidarbha from June 10 to June 15 in 2019, early arrivals were recorded only in 2020 and 2021. In contrast, the onset was significantly delayed in 2023 and 2022, when rains began on June 25 and June 24, respectively.
Meanwhile, several districts in Vidarbha have been affected by heavy downpours over the last 36 hours. Akola received the highest rainfall at 140 mm, leading to waterlogging in low-lying areas. The District Library’s ground floor reading hall and the Operation Theatre at the Women’s Hospital were inundated. Key roads including Dabki Road, Durga Square, and Rautwadi were also submerged.
In Buldana, heavy rainfall damaged standing crops and caused the Purna River to swell. Significant rainfall was recorded in Sindkhed Raja (71 mm), Deulgaon Raja (69 mm), and Jalgaon Jamod (66.8 mm), among others.
Nagpur experienced moderate evening showers on Wednesday, resulting in waterlogging and power outages in several areas due to thunderstorms and gusty winds.
Despite the early monsoon buzz, residents are being advised to remain cautious, as rainfall activity is expected to be intermittent in the coming days.
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