Monsoon likely to enter east UP this weekend after 10-day delay
“Conditions are now favourable for the Southwest Monsoon to reach Uttar Pradesh over the next few days,” according to an India Meteorological Department (IMD) bulletin released on Wednesday.
LUCKNOW The Southwest monsoon is likely to reach east Uttar Pradesh this weekend, bringing the season’s first rains to districts bordering Bihar after a 10-day delay. The delayed onset is expected around June 28, said Atul Kumar Singh, senior scientist at the Regional Meteorological Centre, Lucknow.

“Conditions are now favourable for the Southwest Monsoon to reach Uttar Pradesh over the next few days,” according to an India Meteorological Department (IMD) bulletin released on Wednesday.
The postponed arrival has deepened UP’s rainfall deficit to 54%, with the state receiving 26.5 mm of rain against the normal 58.2 mm between June 1-24. East UP’s deficit stands at 67% (21.7 mm against 66 mm normal), while west UP lags at 29% (33.4 mm against 47.3 mm normal).
The monsoon’s normal onset date for UP is June 18. Forecasts show it will enter Gorakhpur by June 18, reach Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Prayagraj by June 23, spread to Bareilly, Jhansi by June 24, Mainpuri on June 25, Agra, Bijnor by June 27.
By Wednesday, the Southwest monsoon had advanced into the northeastern Arabian Sea, parts of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and remaining areas of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand. The Northern Limit of Monsoon (NLM) passes through Surat, Indore, Daltonganj, and Muzaffarpur, according to the IMD bulletin issued on Wednesday.
Rainfall data for the period from June 1 to June 23 shows uneven distribution across the state. Of UP’s 75 districts, 37 recorded a ‘large deficit,’ 17 recorded a ‘deficit,’ 11 recorded ‘normal’ rainfall, five recorded ‘excess’ rainfall, four recorded ‘large excess’ rainfall, and Kaushambi recorded ‘zero’ rainfall.
Among districts recording large excess rainfall, Agra reported a deviation of 116% above normal, followed by Sambhal (121%), Etah (98%) and Hathras (70%). Excess rainfall was recorded in Kannauj, Bulandshahr, Firozabad, Mathura and Muzaffarnagar.
Eleven districts, including Lucknow’s neighbouring districts such as Kanpur City and Farrukhabad, recorded rainfall within the normal range. These districts included Azamgarh, Ballia, Kanpur City, Maharajganj, Badaun, Baghpat, Etawah, Hapur, Meerut and Moradabad.
Seventeen districts recorded deficient rainfall, including Gorakhpur, Sitapur, Raebareli, Sultanpur, Bareilly, Bijnor, Rampur, Saharanpur and Shahjahanpur.
The situation was more severe in 37 districts that reported large deficient rainfall. These included Lucknow, Ayodhya, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Barabanki, Bahraich, Gonda, Deoria, Kushinagar, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Ghaziabad, Jhansi and several districts in Bundelkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh.
ABOUT THE AUTHORRajeev MullickRajeev Mullick, Assistant Editor, is a Lucknow-based journalist with over 26 years of experience covering governance, public policy and administration in Uttar Pradesh. His reporting focuses on the district administration, the Divisional Commissioner's Office, the Regional Meteorological Centre, and government policies relating to technical, higher, secondary and primary education. Known for impactful public-interest journalism, his investigations have led to significant policy attention, including a report on deficiencies in a state-run school footwear distribution scheme that prompted widespread national coverage and High Court intervention. He broke the story on the Uttar Pradesh government's One District One Cuisine initiative, highlighting the inclusion of sweets and the exclusion of non-vegetarian dishes, triggering widespread public debate. He covered Mahakumbh 2025 at Prayagraj, reports on the event's administrative, logistical and civic dimensions. From 2012 to 2024, he headed the Lucknow City Bureau, leading coverage of the state's administrative and civic developments while mentoring young reporters. He loves to travel, listen to music. He is fond of eating good food both veg and non veg. He has travelled to several states like West Bengal, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Family Nadu, Kerela, Bihar, Jharkhand and home state UP.Read More

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