The drought-hit city of Latur in Maharashtra’s Marathwada region has been left reeling after a sudden bout of extreme rainfall led to flash floods on May 27, 2025. Independent reports, including from All India Radio and the Press Trust of India, point to cloudburst-like conditions that caught residents and authorities off guard.
This severe weather event comes despite the India Meteorological Department (IMD) not issuing specific warnings for heavy rain in Latur or surrounding Marathwada districts in its regular regional bulletins. While the IMD’s Mumbai centre had predicted thunderstorms, lightning, and strong winds for May 27, it did not flag extreme rainfall for Latur. The only relevant mention was a general note in the national press release that said “isolated heavy rainfall likely over Marathwada.”
Latur, historically known for its chronic water scarcity, was particularly vulnerable to such an event. Just nine years ago, in 2016, the district faced such acute drought conditions that water had to be delivered by special trains. The contrast between drought and floods underscores the intensifying unpredictability of weather patterns in the region.
Rainfall data illustrates the dramatic surge in precipitation. From March 1 to May 8, Latur received 22.5 mm of rainfall 11% above the normal average for that period. By May 16, this rose to 39.8 mm, marking a 67% surplus. But the figures soared even further by May 24, reaching 245.5 mm—a staggering 774% above normal. On May 27, rainfall touched 264.5 mm, clocking in at 745% more than average.
The sudden spike in rainfall is likely linked to the early arrival of the southwest monsoon, which IMD confirmed had reached Pune and Solapur by May 26. On May 27, the agency projected further monsoon advancement in the following two to three days.
Multiple atmospheric systems appear to have converged over central India around the same time. An upper air cyclonic circulation was active over central Madhya Pradesh, while another hovered over south Chhattisgarh and adjoining Vidarbha. A shear zone—a region of sharp wind shifts—was also identified at different atmospheric levels near latitude 17°N, just south of Latur’s 18.4°N location. An additional cyclonic circulation persisted over north Konkan and the eastern Arabian Sea, adding to the instability.
Despite these developments, the IMD has only issued warnings for thunderstorms, lightning, and surface winds in Latur for May 28, with no warnings for May 29. The lack of specific alerts for flash flooding has drawn concern about gaps in forecasting localized extreme weather, particularly in regions not typically associated with such events.
The situation in Latur highlights the need for more responsive and localized forecasting systems, especially as climate change continues to increase the frequency and severity of extreme weather events across India.