July deficit wiped out, but monsoon has brought 16% less rain till now

📌 Summary:

• Exceptionally heavy rainfall over Gujarat has virtually wiped out India's July rainfall deficit — July is the most important monsoon month
• Cause: a low-pressure system that tracked westward from the Bay of Bengal interacted with a western disturbance, driving the heavy spell
• As of July 24, July rainfall stood at 215.5 mm against a normal of 215 mm — eliminating the monthly deficit after a dry start
• However, cumulative seasonal rainfall (June 1–July 24) remained 16.1% below normal nationwide
• Regional disparity: East & Northeast India (E&NE) is the worst-performing region with a 31.9% seasonal deficit; South Peninsular India has a 26.8% shortfall — large parts of the Northeast remain rainfall-deficient even as the national number improves

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS1 (Geography — Indian monsoon, climatology, low-pressure systems and western disturbances) and GS3 (agriculture, water and disaster/drought implications of uneven rainfall).

📝 Prelims Facts:

• Data source: India Meteorological Department (IMD)
• July rainfall (as of Jul 24): 215.5 mm vs normal 215 mm; season (Jun 1–Jul 24): 16.1% below normal
• Worst regions: E&NE India -31.9%; South Peninsular India -26.8%
• Drivers: Bay of Bengal low-pressure system + western disturbance interaction

🔑 Key Term: Western disturbance — an extratropical storm originating in the Mediterranean that brings winter/pre-monsoon rain to northwest India; its interaction with a monsoon low-pressure system here intensified rainfall over Gujarat.