IMD forecasts warmer, drier November for most of India

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast above-normal maximum temperatures across most of India in November, with the exception of some Himalayan foothill areas where normal to below-normal readings are likely. Minimum temperatures will also be above normal over most of the country, except parts of central and eastern India. Rainfall is expected below normal for most regions, with the national total likely at 77 per cent of the Long Period Average (LPA) of 29.7 mm.

Normal to above-normal rain is forecast for parts of central, northwest and northeast India, including key wheat-growing areas such as Madhya Pradesh and adjoining Maharashtra and Gujarat, as well as east Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, BusinessLine reports. Below-normal rainfall is expected over west Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab, though these are largely irrigated, and over Rajasthan, much of Gujarat and the South Peninsula, where the northeast monsoon is also likely to be weak. New Indian Express reports a cyclonic storm brewing over the Bay of Bengal, named ‘Morasu’, expected to impact the Andhra coast from 2 November.

The IMD said very strong El Niño conditions prevailing over the Equatorial Pacific Ocean are likely to continue through November-December. The October all-India average maximum temperature of 32.43°C was the highest since 1901, and the monthly rainfall deficit narrowed from 48 per cent on 28 October to 31 per cent by 31 October.

Update, 31 October 2026: New Indian Express reports a fresh cyclonic storm brewing over the Bay of Bengal, named ‘Morasu’, expected to impact the Andhra Pradesh coast from 2 November until the early morning of 3 November, a development not covered by The Hindu, Orissa Post, BusinessLine or India Today. India Today and New Indian Express also follow the same IMD forecast shared by the other outlets, with no conflicting figures.