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Favourable conditions for monsoon’s advance, says IMD’s latest forecast
Monsoon arrived in Kerala on June 1 as per IMD’s forecast.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that conditions are becoming favourable for further advancement of Southwest Monsoon and rain or thundershowers were expected over plains of northwest India during the next two days under the influence of the western disturbances. The weather update on Friday added that isolated thunderstorms accompanied with lightning and heavy rainfall was very likely over Uttarakhand, east Uttar Pradesh and south Rajasthan during the next 24 hours.
“Conditions are becoming favourable for further advancement of Southwest Monsoon into some more parts of Central Arabian Sea, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry & Karaikal, Southwest & Eastcentral Bay of Bengal; entire Southeast Bay of Bengal and some parts of Westcentral Bay of Bengal during next 2 days,” the official release said.
The southwest monsoon had arrived in Kerala on Monday, June1 matching IMD’s forecast and it is predicted to reach Mumbai by June 11. Monsoon marks the beginning of the rainy season which accounts for 70% of India’s annual rainfall.
According to the latest weather update, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka were likely to receive rain or thundershowers in varying quantities.
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“Widespread rain/thundershowers along the west coast and Isolated to Scattered rainfall activity over Gujarat State, Interior Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Interior Karnataka and Tamilnadu during next 4-5 days,” it said and added that isolated heavy rain fall was also very likely over Kerala and Konkan & Goa during the next 3 days and over Coastal Karnataka during the next 24 hours.
IMD release says that scattered to fairly widespread rain or thundershowers were very likely to continue over western Himalayan region and over the plains of northwest India during the next 2 days before decreasing thereafter.
It also predicted isolated heavy rainfall for some places in Uttarakhand.
“Isolated thunderstorms accompanied with lightning, gusty wind over these regions during next 2 days. Isolated heavy falls also very likely over Uttarakhand, East Uttar Pradesh and South Rajasthan during next 24 hours,” the release said.
Around 50% of agricultural land in India depends on monsoon rains to grow crops such as rice, corn, cane, cotton, wheat, oilseeds and soybeans.
Last year, the onset of the monsoon over Mumbai was on June 25. It was the most delayed onset in 45 years because of the very severe cyclonic storm Vayu (June 10-17) over the Arabian Sea.
