Hyderabad: Telangana has recorded 131.7 mm of cumulative rainfall since the onset of the southwest monsoon to date, compared to the normal average of 140.7 mm, according to the Telangana Development Planning Society (TSDPS). This places the state under the “normal” rainfall category overall, with just a 6 per cent deviation from the average.District-wise data shows uneven distribution. TGDPS data reveals that 18 districts have received deficient rainfall, while four districts are under the large deficient category. Only three districts have recorded excess rainfall, and the remaining eight are within the normal range. The southern districts, particularly Nagarkurnool, Wanaparthy, Jogulamba Gadwal, and Mahabubnagar, continue to receive below-normal rainfall. In contrast, parts of north and central Telangana have seen stronger spells. Bhadradri Kothagudem, Nirmal, and Sangareddy are among the districts that recorded excess rainfall in the same period. The first week of July marked a shift in trend. Between June 26 and July 2 alone, Telangana received 67.7 mm of rainfall, against a normal of 37 mm for that week, an 83 per cent surplus. In May, the state had recorded widespread large excess rainfall, which contributed to improved early-season moisture and helped fill minor irrigation tanks in some districts. But this momentum did not sustain in June, leading to the current patchy scenario. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light to moderate rains across several districts in the coming days, with isolated heavy spells likely. However, unless the rainfall belt shifts further south, districts in the deficit zone may continue to lag in agricultural activity. Officials are advising farmers in low-rainfall zones to wait for further soil moisture before beginning sowing, particularly for water-sensitive crops. Reservoirs like Jurala and Srisailam are receiving healthy inflows, primarily from the Krishna catchment in upstream states, even as southern Telangana continues to wait for consistent showers. According to Balaji T, an independent weather tracker, the Srisailam Dam floodgates were opened on Tuesday, marked the earliest-ever instance of gate openings in the month of July. He pointed out that this is only the fifth time such an opening has occurred in July, with the previous dates being July 23, 2007, July 28, 2021, July 23, 2022, and July 29, 2024.
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