Chittorgarh district in Rajasthan has recorded exceptionally high pre-monsoon rainfall, surpassing levels seen during the same period over the past three years, even before the official arrival of the southwest monsoon in the state.
According to meteorological data, the district received 88 mm (3.46 inches) of rainfall during the first 15 days of June, exceeding rainfall recorded during the corresponding period in recent years. The unusually wet spell has defied earlier expectations of a weaker monsoon season following the intense heat experienced during the Nautapa period.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast the arrival of the southwest monsoon in Chittorgarh and the Mewar region between June 22 and June 25. If the current trend continues, June 2026 could rank among the wettest months in the district in recent years.
Data from the past four years highlight the scale of this year’s pre-monsoon activity. Rainfall recorded in the first half of June has already surpassed the total rainfall received during the entire month of June 2025, which stood at 75 mm, and is close to the June 2024 total of 91.2 mm.
Although the rainfall remains marginally below levels recorded during the same period in 2023, when Cyclone Biparjoy brought exceptionally heavy showers, meteorologists have described the current pattern as unusually strong for a typical pre-monsoon season.
Despite the encouraging start, weather experts cautioned that the overall monsoon performance could still be influenced by El Niño conditions.
Dr R.S. Sharma, Director of the India Meteorological Centre (IMC), Jaipur, said active El Niño conditions could reduce rainfall during the peak monsoon months by weakening southwest monsoon winds. As a result, seasonal rainfall this year may remain around 90 per cent of the long-term average, placing it in the below-normal category despite the heavy pre-monsoon showers.
El Niño is a climate phenomenon characterised by unusually warm sea-surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. In India, it is often associated with weaker southwest monsoon circulation, leading to below-average rainfall and prolonged dry spells.
Meanwhile, the IMD said the southwest monsoon has already reached the Kerala coast and is advancing steadily across peninsular and eastern parts of the country.
(With inputs from IANS)
