Monsoon to make a comeback? Something in Bay of Bengal to revive rains

After a brief lull in several parts of the country, the monsoon is showing signs of another revival, with a fresh weather system taking shape over the Bay of Bengal and rainfall activity expected to intensify across parts of central and eastern India.The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Saturday, August 22, that a low-pressure area is likely to form over the northern Bay of Bengal, off the West Bengal-Bangladesh coast, during the next 24 hours.The system is expected to bring heavy to very heavy rain to Odisha and Chhattisgarh over the next two to three days. Commuters move along an inundated area. (Photo: PTI) ANOTHER SYSTEM BREWING IN BAY OF BENGALThe developing system comes as another low-pressure area over northeast Madhya Pradesh and neighbouring areas continues to influence weather over central and northern India. The IMD said the existing system persisted over the region on Saturday, while an upper-air cyclonic circulation over the north Bay of Bengal is tilting southwestwards with height.This circulation is expected to develop into a new low-pressure area within 24 hours. The monsoon trough, which is a broad zone of low pressure that helps organise monsoon rainfall, also remains active, although its western end is currently north of its normal position. A satellite image shows expected rainfall over the Indian subcontinent. (Photo: Windy) RAINS TO PICK UP IN EAST, CENTRAL INDIAFor Saturday, the IMD had forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall over East Uttar Pradesh and East Madhya Pradesh under the influence of the existing system.Meanwhile, east Uttar Pradesh is likely to see fairly widespread rainfall through August 25.Central India is also expected to remain wet.Fairly widespread to widespread rain is forecast over Madhya Pradesh through August 26, while Chhattisgarh could see widespread rainfall through August 28. A satellite image showing cloud formation over India. (Photo: X) Odisha is forecast to receive widespread rain through August 28, with isolated very heavy rainfall likely during this period.WILL IT RAIN IN DELHI-NCR?Delhi-NCR can expect another spell of light rain in the next few days, with a possibility of moderate rain at isolated places in early hours of Sunday, August 23.Light rain is also possible at a few places later in the day on August 23 and then on August 24.However, the revival is unlikely to be uniform across India. Commuters wade through a waterlogged road following heavy rain, in Gurugram. (Photo: PTI) The IMD expects subdued rainfall activity over much of Peninsular India during the coming week, although coastal parts of Karnataka, Kerala and Lakshadweep are likely to see fairly widespread rain.India's cumulative monsoon rainfall remained 14% below normal as of August 22, according to the IMD data.The emerging Bay of Bengal system could therefore provide another important push to rainfall over eastern and central India, but whether it translates into a broader nationwide monsoon revival will depend on how the system develops and moves over the coming days.- EndsPublished On: Aug 23, 2026 07:30 IST