IMD Forecasts Stronger Monsoon Activity from July 3
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has announced that the southwest monsoon is expected to become more active over central parts of the country during the next five to six days. The improvement is linked to a low-pressure area likely to form over the northwest Bay of Bengal around July 3, 2026, which is expected to strengthen rainfall across several agricultural regions.
The weather agency also said conditions remain favourable for the southwest monsoon to advance further into additional parts of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, and Rajasthan during the next two days.
Southwest Monsoon Continues to Advance
According to IMD, the southwest monsoon has already advanced into:
Entire Jammu & Kashmir
Entire Ladakh
Entire Daman & Diu
Remaining parts of Uttarakhand
Remaining parts of Himachal Pradesh
More areas of Gujarat
More areas of Madhya Pradesh
More areas of Uttar Pradesh
Parts of Haryana and Punjab
This steady progress is expected to improve soil moisture and support sowing operations in many rain-fed farming regions.
IMD has issued warnings for extremely heavy rainfall at isolated locations over several states.
Extremely Heavy Rainfall Expected
South Gujarat: July 1 to July 5
Konkan: July 1 to July 5
Coastal Karnataka: July 1 and July 2
Madhya Maharashtra: July 2 to July 5
Southwest Madhya Pradesh: July 3 and July 4
Very Heavy Rainfall Recorded
During the previous 24 hours, IMD reported:
Very heavy rainfall over Konkan and Coastal Karnataka.
Heavy to very heavy rainfall across Gujarat Region.
Heavy rainfall in West Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha and Tamil Nadu.
Thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds of 40 to 60 km/h were also reported in several states.
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IMD forecasts the southwest monsoon will advance further across northwest India while a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal is expected to trigger widespread rainfall across central India from July 3.
What Farmers Should Do
The expected increase in rainfall provides opportunities for kharif farmers, but field management remains important.
Farmers are advised to:
Complete paddy transplanting where adequate rainfall has been received.
Finish sowing of soybean, maize, cotton and pulses in regions receiving consistent rainfall.
Ensure proper drainage in low-lying fields to prevent waterlogging.
Avoid fertilizer spraying during heavy rainfall periods.
Secure harvested produce and agricultural machinery before heavy rain begins.
Impact on Kharif Crops
The active monsoon phase is expected to improve moisture availability for major kharif crops, including:
Paddy
Soybean
Cotton
Maize
Groundnut
Pulses
Timely rainfall during early July is particularly important for crop establishment and germination across central and western India.
The expected low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal is likely to keep rainfall activity active across central India through the first week of July. Farmers are encouraged to monitor district-level weather advisories before planning irrigation, fertilizer application or pesticide spraying.
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