WITH 15 days left in the season, Madhya Pradesh’s monsoon remains highly uneven. The State has received 834.4 mm rainfall against the normal 886.6 mm, leaving a 6% deficit, according to IMD Bhopal. While 88% of the seasonal quota is met, 37 districts are still below normal with shortfall of 2% to 49%. The deficit is concentrated in western MP-Indore, Ujjain, Bhopal, Gwalior and Chambal divisions. Major cities like Indore, Ujjain and Jabalpur are lagging. Alirajpur is the most deficient with only 16 inches so far. Eastern MP is faring better, just 1% below normal. Niwari leads with 49% excess, followed by Mauganj at 44% with the State’s highest absolute rain at 54.9 inches, Satna at 34% and Maihar at 29%. Only 23 districts are in surplus including Bhopal, Gwalior and Guna.

 

Bhopal continues its four-year streak of above-normal September rain, already crossing its monthly average of 7 inches. IMD Bhopal confirms no heavy rainfall warning anywhere in the State for the next four days. On Tuesday night, Bhopal was partly cloudy at 28°C with AQI 41 (Good) and recorded only 0.1 mm in last 24 hours. From September 15 to 17, only light rain or thundershowers are expected in Bhopal, Indore, Ujjain, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Rewa and Sagar as the monsoon trough has weakened and shifted eastward. A fresh low-pressure system from the Bay of Bengal may bring light rain to eastern MP. Monsoon withdrawal is likely to begin around September 17.