Panaji : Goa recorded 34 per cent rainfall deficit in June 2026, which is the fourth deficient June in the last 14 years and one of the weakest starts to the southwest monsoon in the recent past.
Heavy rainfall during the final week of the month significantly narrowed the deficit.
However, it was insufficient to offset the prolonged dry spell that dominated much of the month.
According to IMD’s area-weighted rainfall analysis, Goa received 603.2 mm of rainfall from June 1 to June 30, against the normal 914.0 mm, leaving the state with a 34 per cent departure from normal.
North Goa recorded 540.7 mm against the normal 933.8 mm, a 42.1 per cent deficit, while South Goa received 658.4 mm against 896.6 mm, registering a 26.6 per cent deficit.
The month also witnessed 17 rainy days, compared to the long-term climatological average of 21.2 rainy days, indicating that the state experienced four fewer rainy days than normal despite the heavy showers during the last week.
An analysis of IMD’s climatological records shows that June normally receives 890.4 mm of rainfall. Data reveal that deficient June rainfall has been relatively rare over the past decade. Before this year, deficient June rainfall was recorded only in 2013, 2014 and 2023. The highest rainfall deficit was observed in 2014, when Goa received only 460.8 mm, representing a 48.2 per cent deficit from normal. In 2023, the rainfall of 626.4 mm in June resulted in a 29.7 per cent deficit, and 2013, when 696.9 mm of rain reflected a 21.7 per cent shortfall.
At the other end of the spectrum, 2016 recorded 1,215.9 mm, or 36.6 per cent above normal, followed by 2012 with 1,177.1 mm (32.2 per cent excess) and 2020 with 1,067.4 mm (19.9 per cent excess), highlighting the increasing year-to-year variability of June rainfall in Goa.
Among the 14 rain-gauge stations monitored by IMD, Canacona emerged as the wettest location this June with a cumulative rainfall of 1,061.2 mm, followed by Margao (773.2 mm), Dharbandora (660.9 mm), Quepem (603.6 mm), Mormugao (587.8 mm), Pernem (579.6 mm), Dabolim (559.8 mm), Ela (Old Goa) (554.8 mm), Mapusa (523.4 mm), Sanguem (517.6 mm), Sankhali (511.8 mm), Ponda (502.7 mm), Panaji (447.8 mm) and Valpoi (378.1 mm).
On June 30, Margao recorded the highest 24-hour rainfall at 126.1 mm, followed by Sankhali (118.4 mm), Sanguem (110.4 mm) and Quepem (110.0 mm), while rainfall activity was classified as widespread and monsoon activity remained active across the state.
Yellow alert for July 2-6
PANAJI: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for the next 24 hours, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall accompanied by gusty winds of 40–50 kmph at isolated places across Goa, before downgrading the warning to yellow alert from July 2 to July 6.
