Nagpur: Moderate but steady rain on Tuesday signalled the arrival of the southwest monsoon in Nagpur, nearly eight days after its normal onset date predicted by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).Dark clouds blanketed the skyline by evening and were soon followed by a cool breeze and spells of rain that swept across Nagpur, bringing much-needed relief from humid conditions. Tuesday’s rainfall marked only the third instance of meaningful showers in June, making the month one of the driest in recent years.Rainfall, however, remained light, with the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) of the IMD recording just 3.8 mm of rain, though officials forecast more showers in the coming days. The department has issued a yellow alert till June 26, indicating that the monsoon has regained momentum. The change in weather also led to a sharp drop in temperature, with the city recording a maximum of 35.4°C, five degrees lower than the previous day.Earlier in the day, the IMD said in its morning bulletin that the southwest monsoon had advanced into parts of Vidarbha, reaching Wardha. Over the preceding 24 hours, several districts received significant rainfall, including Chandrapur (75 mm), Buldhana (58 mm), Gadchiroli (24 mm) and Nagpur (28 mm), among others. According to IMD norms, monsoon onset is declared when at least 60% of observatories record 2.5 mm or more rainfall, supported by favourable wind and temperature conditions.While most stations had met these criteria by Tuesday morning, Nagpur, Bhandara and Gondia were still below the benchmark at that stage. However, subsequent weather developments suggested further advancement, with experts indicating that the monsoon had effectively covered the remaining parts of Vidarbha. An official confirmation is expected in the IMD bulletin on Wednesday morning.The revival of the monsoon has brought relief to farmers across the region, many of whom were facing concerns over crop stress and pest infestation due to the prolonged dry spell. With rainfall activity picking up, sowing operations are expected to gain pace, following earlier state government advisories cautioning against premature planting.Meanwhile, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s (NMC) fire and emergency services control room reported no incidents of waterlogging across the city despite the showers. Two trees were uprooted—one at Dakshinamurti Square and another at Model Mill Square—but no injuries or property damage were reported, officials said.
