Youth try to catch fish from overflowing water at Mahbub Sagar Tank in Sangareddy District on Friday (July ,31 2026)
| Photo Credit: MOHD ARIF
After a faltering start, July (2026) turned the tide for Telangana’s monsoon. The month, typically the wettest during the southwest monsoon season, began on a disappointing note with large parts of the State receiving little to no rainfall. By July 16, Telangana was staring at a massive 61% rainfall deficit, raising concerns over the progress of the monsoon. However, the second half of the month brought a dramatic turnaround as widespread spells of rain swept across the State, almost erasing the shortfall by the month’s end.
224.3 mm of rainfall received against normal 227.6 mm
According to data from the Telangana Development Planning Society (TGDPS), compiled by The Hindu, Telangana received 224.3 mm of rainfall during July against the normal 227.6 mm, ending the month with a marginal rainfall deficit of just 1%.
Southwest monsoon deficit reduced to 5%
The sustained rainfall during the second half of July also narrowed the cumulative southwest monsoon deficit to 5%, with the State recording 339.6 mm of rainfall between June 1 and July 31 against the normal 357.9 mm. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), Cyberabad Municipal Corporation (CMC) and Malkajgiri Municipal Corporation (MMC) areas, however, continued to lag behind, recording 236.5 mm of rainfall against the normal 276 mm, a deficit of 14%.
The improvement was equally evident in the district-wise rainfall pattern. As of July 16, only four districts had normal rainfall, while 27 districts were classified as deficient and Hanumakonda and Medchal Malkajgiri were in the large deficient category. The situation changed rapidly over the next two weeks as repeated spells of rain pushed several districts out of deficit.
By July 31, Mancherial, Jagtial, Kamareddy and Peddapalli had moved into the excess rainfall category, recording rainfall above normal, and 17 districts, including Hyderabad and Rangareddy, finished the month in the normal category. The number of deficient districts came down to 12, and no district remained in the large deficient category. Districts that continued to report deficient rainfall included Hanumakonda, Jangaon, Warangal, Medchal Malkajgiri, Khammam, Suryapet, Yadadri Bhuvanagiri, Wanaparthy, Mahabubabad, Jogulamba Gadwal, Bhadradri Kothagudem and Narayanpet.
The turnaround becomes even more striking when compared with the end of June. Telangana had closed June with a 12% rainfall deficit, having received 115.3 mm against the normal 130.3 mm. At that stage, only four districts were in the excess category, 12 recorded normal rainfall, 16 were deficient and Hanumakonda was the lone district in the large deficient category with a 71% rainfall shortfall. A month later, widespread monsoon activity has transformed the rainfall map of the State, bringing most districts back to normal and improving the overall monsoon performance.
Published – July 31, 2026 02:23 pm IST
