India's southwest monsoon has slipped back into a weak phase after a brief spell of widespread rainfall narrowed the seasonal deficit earlier this month, with the nationwide rainfall shortfall widening to 18% as of Sunday, TOI reported on Monday.
The recent burst of rain had reduced the cumulative deficit from 40% at the end of June to 14% by July 9, but the return of subdued rainfall has reversed some of those gains. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast subdued rainfall activity across the plains of northwest and west-central India, as well as southern Peninsular India, over the next six to seven days.
