Forecast and warnings
Kota agromet advisory: where farmers get weather-based crop advice
Written by Kota Weather Editorial Team · Updated
A Kota agromet advisory is the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) weather-based advice for farmers in Kota district. It turns the forecast for the next few days into practical steps: whether to irrigate now or wait for rain, when not to spray, how to protect a crop that is ready to harvest before a storm, and what the weather means for livestock. Kota and the wider Hadoti region depend on farming, and the weather here swings from a short, heavy monsoon to a dry winter and a fierce summer. This guide explains where the official advisories are published, how to use them and how Kota’s climate shapes the farm year.
This site does not issue farm advice or forecasts. Use the official sources below for decisions, and our Kota weather forecast page for links to IMD’s forecast.
Where to find the Kota district advisory
IMD runs an agromet advisory service, known in Hindi as Gramin Krishi Mausam Sewa (GKMS), which prepares bulletins at national, state and district level. The main official routes are:
- IMD’s agromet portal (imdagrimet.gov.in). It carries national, state and district agromet advisory bulletins, crop-specific advisories and the GKMS newsletter. Select Rajasthan and then Kota.
- IMD’s state agromet advisory page on the Mausam website, which lists the current bulletins by state.
- The Meghdoot app. According to its official Google Play listing, Meghdoot is a joint initiative of IMD, the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), built to deliver weather-based farm information to farmers. You choose your state and district and see the forecast and advisory together.
- The Mausam app, IMD’s general weather app, for the forecast, nowcasts and warnings themselves.
Advisories are also shared locally by agricultural institutions and Krishi Vigyan Kendras. Whatever the route, check the issue date and use the latest bulletin.
What a district bulletin contains
Formats change over time, but a district agromet bulletin usually includes:
- A short weather summary for the past few days.
- The district forecast for the next several days: rain, maximum and minimum temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, and cloud cover.
- Any warnings, such as heavy rain, thunderstorm, hail, heatwave or cold wave.
- Crop-wise advice for the crops in the field at that stage of the season.
- Advice for livestock, poultry and sometimes fisheries.
The value lies in combining the two. A forecast of rain in two days means little on its own; an advisory turns it into “postpone irrigation and spraying” or “harvest the mature crop and store it under cover”.
Kota’s farm year and the climate behind it
IMD’s Climatological Tables 1991-2020 for Kota Airport (station 42452) show why timing is everything for farmers here.
| Season | Months | Kota normal rainfall | What the weather means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-monsoon | April to May | 18.1 mm | Extreme heat, hot winds, dust storms; land preparation |
| Kharif (monsoon) | June to September | 755.3 mm | Sowing after the monsoon sets in; heavy rain spells, waterlogging, pests in humid weather |
| Post-monsoon | October to November | 22.7 mm | Kharif harvest; rabi sowing as nights cool |
| Rabi (winter) | December to March | 20.2 mm | Dry, cool growing season; irrigation; occasional winter rain, frost risk on clear cold nights, hail risk in March |
About 92 percent of Kota’s normal annual rainfall of 816.2 mm falls between June and September. Kharif crops grown in the Hadoti region, such as soybean, maize and pulses, depend on when the monsoon arrives and how evenly the rain is spread. Rabi crops such as wheat, mustard, gram and coriander grow through the dry winter on stored soil moisture and irrigation, and are sensitive to warm spells, late cold and hail.
Weather risks advisories commonly address in Kota include:
- Delayed monsoon onset or long breaks in July and August, which affect sowing and early crop growth. See Kota monsoon.
- Heavy rain and waterlogging in July and August, when the normal monthly totals are 296.7 mm and 269.6 mm.
- Humid weather that favours some pests and diseases. See Kota humidity.
- Cold nights in December and January, when the mean minimum falls to 11 to 13 C and the coldest night of an average January is about 7.4 C at the observatory. Open fields away from the city can be colder.
- Hail and storms in late winter and spring. March has the most hail days in IMD’s tables for Kota, though hail remains rare. See Kota thunderstorms.
- Heat stress for crops, animals and workers from April to June. See Kota heatwave.
Using advisories safely in the field
- Before spraying, check the wind and rain forecast: spray drifts on windy days and washes off before rain.
- Do not work in open fields when thunder is heard; lightning is a serious risk for farm workers. See Kota lightning safety.
- During heatwaves, move field work to early morning and give animals shade and water.
- Keep a simple record of rain and operations so you can compare with the advisory over the season.
Reading the forecast part of a bulletin
The forecast table in a district bulletin uses terms that are worth knowing:
- Rainfall is given in millimetres for each day. IMD’s categories, such as light, moderate and heavy, are explained in our IMD rainfall categories guide.
- Wind speed is usually in km/h, with a direction such as west or north-west. Spraying is best avoided on windy days.
- Relative humidity in the morning and afternoon helps judge disease risk; long humid spells favour many fungal diseases.
- Cloud cover is often given in oktas, eighths of the sky; 8 oktas means fully overcast.
Station numbers behind farm weather
District advisories draw on forecasts and on the long-term climate of the area. IMD’s 1991-2020 tables for the Kota observatory give a feel for the rabi season, when most spraying, irrigation and harvest decisions are made:
| Month | Rainy days | Mean wind speed | Morning RH (08:30 IST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| October | 0.9 | 3.9 km/h | 51% |
| November | 0.4 | 3.0 km/h | 52% |
| December | 0.3 | 2.8 km/h | 63% |
| January | 0.7 | 3.3 km/h | 67% |
| February | 0.7 | 4.2 km/h | 53% |
| March | 0.6 | 5.1 km/h | 38% |
Rain is rare, and winds are light, but a single western disturbance can still bring rain, hail or strong wind at harvest time, which is why it pays to read each bulletin. Our Kota weather station guide explains where these figures come from, and Kota thunderstorms covers hail risk.
Related guides
- Kota rainfall for rain by month
- IMD rainfall categories for what warnings mean in millimetres
- Kota weather warnings for warning colours
- Kota weather by month
Frequently asked questions
What is an agromet advisory?
It is a bulletin that combines IMD's weather forecast for the coming days with practical advice for farmers on crops, livestock and field operations, such as delaying irrigation before expected rain or postponing spraying on windy days.
Where can I find the agromet advisory for Kota district?
On IMD's agromet portal (imdagrimet.gov.in) under the district bulletins, on IMD's state agromet advisory page, and in the Meghdoot mobile app, where you select your state and district.
Is the Meghdoot app official?
Yes. Its Google Play listing describes Meghdoot as a joint initiative of the India Meteorological Department, the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.
How often are district agromet advisories issued?
They are issued regularly through the week. Always check the issue date on the bulletin and use the latest one, since advice depends on the forecast for the following days.
Does this site publish farm advisories?
No. We explain the climate and point to official sources. For decisions on sowing, irrigation or spraying, use the current IMD advisory and your local agriculture department or Krishi Vigyan Kendra.
Sources
Editorial team, Kota
The Kota Weather team writes from Kota and builds every guide on official IMD climate data, with sources listed on each page.
