Monsoon Stalls: India Faces Unusual June Dry Spell.

Satellite Images Reveal Cloud-Free Skies as Rainfall Deficit Deepens.

India’s southwest monsoon, which usually blankets the country with rain by late June, has slowed dramatically this year. Satellite images captured on Thursday morning show vast stretches of central, western, and northwestern India under clear skies, with the deep convective clouds typical of the season conspicuously absent.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), rainfall between June 4 and June 26 has been nearly 45 percent below normal nationwide. Gujarat has been hit hardest, recording an 84 percent deficit, while states such as Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala are also struggling with significant shortages.

The weak monsoon activity is linked to the absence of strong weather systems over the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. Normally, low-pressure areas form in these regions and move inland, carrying moisture that fuels widespread rainfall. This year, however, the lack of such systems has limited moisture transport, leaving much of India’s interior dry.

Satellite imagery highlights the imbalance: while dense cloud bands are visible over the northeastern states, the northern Bay of Bengal, and parts of southern India, large swathes of Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Delhi-NCR remain cloud-free. The rainfall distribution map mirrors this pattern, showing deficits across most of central and northern India.

Meteorologists, however, see signs of change. A tropical disturbance is developing north of the equator in the eastern Indian Ocean. Forecasts suggest it could move into the Bay of Bengal within the next four to seven days, injecting fresh moisture into the monsoon circulation. If the system strengthens, it may trigger the formation of a low-pressure area, a key driver of monsoon rains.

At the same time, atmospheric models point to the possible emergence of a middle-tropospheric vortex over western India. This feature, often associated with enhanced rainfall, could bring relief to Maharashtra, Gujarat, and adjoining regions.

Experts caution that while these developments offer hope, the timing and intensity of the revival depend on how the tropical system evolves. If conditions align, the stalled monsoon could regain momentum in early July, accelerating its advance into the remaining parts of northwest India.

For now, much of the country waits under unusually clear skies, hoping the seasonal rains will soon return to break the dry spell.