Pune: Maharashtra’s drought isn’t the result of one dry spell — it’s the cumulative effect of a faltering monsoon, week after week, since June.
An analysis by India Meteorological Department (IMD) shows the state has now logged a rainfall deficit of 18%. “Of the 17 weeks tracked so far, Marathwada recorded deficient to large-deficient rainfall in 12 of them, and Vidarbha in 11. Pune recorded an 18% rainfall surplus and Nashik a 37% surplus over the same June 1–Sept 25 period.
Satyaban Bishoyi Ratna, head of climate application and user interface at IMD Pune, said the pattern behind those numbers made this drought different from a typical bad monsoon year. Vidarbha has followed almost the same trajectory, broken only by a single week of excess rain in Sept,” Ratna said. The shortfall was concentrated overwhelmingly in two regions — Marathwada and Vidarbha. Marathwada has stayed continuously deficient to large-deficient from mid-Aug onward. Elsewhere in the state, the contrast is starker.
Maharashtra Faces Severe Rainfall Deficiency Impacting Agriculture
Recent data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) indicates that Maharashtra is one of the states most affected by rainfall deficiency this season. The region has experienced prolonged gaps between rainy days, despite occasional heavy rainfall. This uneven distribution of moisture has severely impacted agricultural activities, leaving farmers in a precarious position.
While several dams in the area have reached full storage capacity, the overall lack of consistent rainfall poses significant challenges to crop production and water management in hilly and high-rainfall areas. The situation underscores the vulnerability of the agricultural sector in Maharashtra amidst changing weather patterns.