Southwest Monsoon 2026: Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab wait for rains, what IMD told?
Southwest Monsoon 2026 is painting two very different pictures this season. While torrential rains continue to lash the eastern and northeastern parts of the country, vast stretches of northern and western India are witnessing an unusual pause in rainfall.
States such as Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, and Punjab are waiting for the rains, even as Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, eastern Uttar Pradesh, and Odisha battle heavy downpours.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the uneven pattern is the result of the monsoon trough and moisture-laden winds from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal remaining stationed over eastern India.
As a result, enough moisture is not reaching the northern and western regions, leading to subdued rainfall there. Weather experts, however, expect the situation to improve once a fresh low-pressure system develops or the monsoon trough shifts westward in the coming days.
Satellite imagery clearly reflects this contrast. Thick cloud cover dominates Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura, while Rajasthan, Gujarat, western Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, and western Maharashtra continue to experience relatively clear skies.
Flood-like conditions in several northeastern states
The relentless rain has also triggered flood-like conditions in several northeastern states. In Arunachal Pradesh, floods, landslides, and heavy rainfall have affected more than 1.02 lakh people across four districts, claiming seven lives and injuring 29 others. In neighbouring Assam, floods have inundated 99 villages across six districts, affecting over 37,000 people, with Lakhimpur emerging as the worst-hit district.
Odisha remains on high alert
Meanwhile, Odisha remains on high alert as the IMD has issued a red alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall, particularly in Puri, during the Jagannath Rath Yatra. The warning follows the expected formation of a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal and the adjoining Bangladesh coast within the next 24 hours. Rainfall is likely to intensify from Wednesday through Friday morning, prompting authorities to remain vigilant during one of the state's biggest religious gatherings.