IMD says May 2025 breaks 124-year record as wettest month in India since 1901
The early onset of the southwest monsoon brought continuous rainfall across southern and eastern India, contributing to this record.
In a social media post on X, the IMD wrote, 'The average monthly rainfall for May 2025 over All-India (126.7 mm) and Central India (100.9 mm) was highest since 1901.'
As per the Met Department, rainfall over the country in the month of May 2025 was 126.7 mm, which is 106 per cent more than its Long Period Average (LPA) of 61.4 mm.
An official press release from the IMD reads, "Rainfall over the country as a whole for the month of May 2025 was 126.7 mm, which is 106% more than its Long Period Average (LPA) of 61.4 mm..."
"The average monthly rainfall for May 2025 over All-India (126.7 mm) and Central India (100.9 mm) was the highest since 1901. While the monthly rainfall over South Peninsular India reached 199.7 mm, marking the second highest total since 1901, it was surpassed only by 201.4 mm recorded in 1990. Similarly, the monthly average rainfall over Northwest India (48.1 mm) was the 13th highest since 1901 and the 4th highest since 2001. The monthly rainfall over East & Northeast India region was 242.8 mm, which is the 29th highest since 1901 and the 4th highest since 2001," it added.
According to the IMD, during May, 25 subdivisions received large excess rainfall, five subdivisions received excess rain, and six subdivisions received normal rainfall.
In May 2025, extremely heavy rainfall (>204.4 mm) was recorded along the West Coast, as well as in Assam and Meghalaya, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim, Mizoram, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, Madhya Maharashtra, and South Interior Karnataka.
As per the weather department, very heavy rainfall (115.6-204.4 mm) occurred in Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam, East Rajasthan, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, Marathwada, North Interior Karnataka, Rayalaseema, Saurashtra and Kutch, Telangana, Vidarbha, and West Madhya Pradesh.
Additionally, heavy rainfall events (64.5-115.5 mm) were observed across the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, East Madhya Pradesh, East Uttar Pradesh, Gangetic West Bengal, Gujarat Region, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Lakshadweep, Odisha, Uttarakhand, and West Uttar Pradesh.
The IMD stated that there were seven Western Disturbances (WDs) observed over the Indian region, which caused frequent occurrences of rain and thunderstorm activities accompanied by gusty winds and hailstorms across the Western Himalayan region, plains of Northwest and central India.
In the month of May, most parts of India experience thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds and activities at regular intervals.
The average maximum, average minimum and mean temperature for the country as a whole during May were below normal.
The release reads, "The average maximum, average minimum and mean temperature for the country as a whole during May were 35.08oC, 24.07oC and 29.57oC respectively, against the normal of 36.60oC, 24.17oC and 30.38oC based on data of 1991-2020. Thus, the average maximum, average minimum and mean temperature were below normal with departure from normal of -1.52oC, -0.10oC and -0.81oC, respectively, for the country as a whole."
Notably, this year, the Southwest Monsoon set in over Kerala on May 24, eight days earlier than its normal onset date of June 1.
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