Monsoon Falters Across Most of India; Uttarakhand Roads Blocked, UP Logs 17% Deficit

India's southwest monsoon presented a sharply divided picture on Sunday, July 12, 2026. Heavy to very heavy rainfall was confined to Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, and the northeastern states, while the rest of the country — including Rajasthan, Delhi, most of Uttar Pradesh, and south Peninsular India — remained largely rain-free.

The India Meteorological Department's Sunday bulletin forecast isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall over northeast India, West Bengal, and Bihar over the next two to three days, with heavy falls expected at isolated locations in east Uttar Pradesh in four to five days. For northwest India, west-central India, and south Peninsular India, the IMD warned of weak rainfall activity persisting for the next six to seven days — a window that carries implications for kharif crop establishment across several major agricultural states.

Uttarakhand bore the brunt of Sunday's intense rainfall. The IMD issued a red alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall across the state, and the consequences were swift: landslides triggered by the downpour blocked 126 roads, including two national highways, causing widespread disruption to movement and supply chains.

According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), the Rishikesh-Yamunotri National Highway has remained shut for three consecutive days after a landslide at Syanachatti. Repair teams were deployed on the Yamunotri Highway, though restoration work was still underway as of Sunday. In the state capital Dehradun, a wall collapse left one woman injured and prompted the evacuation of seven families.

In neighbouring Himachal Pradesh, light to moderate rains continued across the state. Jogindernagar in Mandi district recorded the highest precipitation — 60 mm in the 24 hours to Saturday evening — followed by Manali at 45 mm, Sarahan at 38.5 mm, Rohru at 25 mm, and Shimla at 19 mm. Debris and a fallen tree temporarily brought traffic on Shimla's Cart Road to a standstill for several hours.

Uttar Pradesh remained completely rain-free on Sunday, with maximum and minimum temperatures hovering around 36°C and 26°C respectively. The dry spell is part of a broader seasonal concern: according to IMD's district-wise rainfall data, the state received 158.8 mm of cumulative rainfall between June 1 and July 12 against a seasonal normal of 190.9 mm — a deficit of 17 per cent.

The local meteorological office anticipated rain and thundershowers at a few places in eastern UP and isolated showers in western parts over the next 24 hours, with heavy rainfall possible at isolated locations in the northeastern region. Lucknow was forecast to have a partly cloudy sky that would likely clear later in the day. The IMD's broader outlook of heavy falls in east UP in four to five days offers some near-term relief, but the cumulative shortfall will require sustained activity to recover meaningfully before the kharif transplanting window closes.

A pronounced dry spell gripped Rajasthan on Sunday, with Sri Ganganagar recording the state's highest maximum temperature at 41.7°C, followed by Bikaner at 39.3°C and Barmer and Jaisalmer each at 39°C. The weather office expects dry conditions to persist across eastern Rajasthan for the next five to six days, though parts of the Shekhawati region and the Jaipur and Bharatpur divisions may receive light rainfall between July 13 and 15.

The IMD also issued a caution for dust storms with wind speeds of 30–40 kmph in parts of Jodhpur and Bikaner divisions over the next two to three days.

In Delhi, temperatures ranged between 35–36°C (maximum) and 26–28°C (minimum). The IMD noted maximum temperatures were 1.6 to 3°C above normal at isolated locations, with no change in temperatures expected across the capital over the next seven days.

West Bengal was among the few states experiencing an active monsoon on Sunday. The IMD said heavy rainfall would continue across several districts of the state until July 14, driven by an active monsoon system. Sub-Himalayan districts, already lashed by torrential rain over the past several days, were expected to see continued heavy precipitation through the same date.

In the southern districts — including Bankura, Birbhum, Purba and Paschim Bardhaman, Nadia, and Murshidabad — heavy rainfall was forecast until July 14, with light to moderate rain in other parts of the region. Pundibari in Coochbehar district recorded the state's highest single-station rainfall in the 24 hours to 8:30 am on Sunday, at 89 mm, according to IMD data.

The northeast as a whole remained on the IMD's watch list, with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall forecast for the sub-region over the coming two to three days.