Conditions favourable for monsoon to advance over Delhi, Haryana, Punjab: IMD
The IMD said conditions were favourable for the monsoon advance to more parts of Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and western Uttar Pradesh
The monsoon has advanced to the remaining parts of the north Arabian Sea, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu, more areas of Punjab, west Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Tuesday. Parts of Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi are yet to receive the first spells of monsoon rain.
The monsoon is the lifeblood of India’s economy. It arrived in Kerala on May 24, eight days before its normal date. June 1 is the normal date for monsoon onset in Kerala.
The IMD said conditions were favourable for the monsoon advance to more parts of Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and the remaining areas of western Uttar Pradesh over the next 36 hours.
The northern limit of the monsoon was passing through Barmer, Jodhpur, Jaipur (Rajasthan), Agra, Rampur, Bijnor (Uttar Pradesh), Karnal (Haryana), and Punjab’s Halwara.
Heavy to very heavy rainfall and extremely heavy rain were recorded in sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Gujarat and Konkan, east Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Madhya Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Meghalaya. Heavy rainfall was recorded at isolated places in Odisha, Karnataka, and Manipur.
The monsoon advances northwards, usually in surges, and covers the entire country around July 15. It marks the transition from scorching temperatures. According to the agriculture ministry, 51% of India’s farmed area, accounting for 40% of production, is rain-fed, making monsoon critical. With 47% of the country’s population dependent on agriculture for their livelihood, a bountiful monsoon is directly related to a healthy rural economy.
The IMD said isolated heavy rainfall was likely in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit, Baltistan, and Muzaffarabad, east Uttar Pradesh, until June 30
On Sunday, IMD director general M Mohapatra said the monsoon has covered most of north India a bit early, but they were yet to give the forecast for the entire country. “Key states of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and parts of Rajasthan are also left to be covered. We expect these states will be covered over the next few days.”
He said good rainfall was expected this week, especially because of a low-pressure area over south Uttar Pradesh and Gangetic West Bengal. “These features are good for the monsoon.”
