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9 July 2026

Exceptional rainfall in Maharashtra

The topic provides relevant context on extreme weather events and disaster management, which are recurring themes in GS1 and GS3, though it lacks the specificity of a policy or report to warrant a higher score.

1 min read Day 11 of 24 2 questions 2 prelims

Notes

  • Lonavala recorded 1,300 mm of rainfall between Sunday and Wednesday morning, with 525 mm on Tuesday alone.
  • IMD classifies rainfall exceeding 200 mm as 'extremely high'.
  • Palghar reported 304 mm of rain on Tuesday, representing a 1,000% increase over the normal of 26.7 mm.
  • Mahabaleshwar recorded 513 mm of rain on Monday, the highest 24-hour rainfall in its historical records, amounting to nearly 10% of its average annual rainfall.
  • The extreme weather is attributed to a 'depression' originating in the Bay of Bengal interacting with monsoon winds from the Arabian Sea.
  • Heavy rainfall has caused landslides, tunnel collapses, and infrastructure disruptions in coastal Maharashtra.
  • Despite being an El Niño year with a forecast for 'below normal' monsoon rainfall, localized extreme weather events can still occur.
  • IMD expects monsoon activity to subside after July 10, with no significant low-pressure systems currently forecasted for the near future.

Part of a longer story

This is day 11 of 24 in El Nino impact on India's monsoon, which has been running since 21 June 2026. Reading it whole is usually worth more than reading today alone — the exam asks how something developed.

Questions

  1. Analyze the meteorological factors contributing to extreme rainfall events in the Western Ghats and discuss the challenges they pose for disaster management in ecologically sensitive regions. 150 words
    Attempt this — 150 words in 8 min
    0 / 150 words 8:00
  2. The occurrence of extreme weather events during a predicted 'below normal' monsoon year highlights the complexity of climate variability. Discuss the limitations of long-range monsoon forecasting and the necessity for robust disaster preparedness strategies in India. 250 words
    Attempt this — 250 words in 11 min
    0 / 250 words 11:00

Prelims

  1. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), what is the threshold for 'extremely high' rainfall?

  2. What is the primary meteorological cause identified for the recent extreme rainfall in Maharashtra?

Syllabus

Topics

Sources

250words.in · https://250words.in/daily/2026-07-09/exceptional-rainfall-in-maharashtra