The southwest monsoon has covered the entire country, the India Meteorological Department said on Saturday, nearly six days earlier than its usual date.
“The southwest monsoon has further advanced into remaining parts of north Arabian Sea, Gujarat and Rajasthan. With this, the southwest monsoon has covered the entire country on Saturday, six days before the normal date of July 8,” said scientist RK Jenamani of the weather office.
Since 2003, there have only been five instances when the monsoon covered the entire country before July 2, official data showed. In 2013, the monsoon covered all of India by June 16, in 2015 and 2020, it was on June 26, in 2019, it was on June 29, and in 2005, the monsoon’s advance was completed on June 30.
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Last year, the monsoon covered the entire country by July 13. After covering most parts of India in June, the southwest monsoon last year was on a ‘break phase’, because of which parts of northwest and central India had to wait for monsoon onset.
Higher rainfall activity is likely over Odisha, Gujarat, Konkan and Goa in the next five days, over central India on July 4 and 5, and over northwest India between July 5 and 6, the weather bureau said. While parts of northwest India, including Delhi, saw a good start to the monsoon, there is likely to be a brief break in the region over the weekend. However, isolated and light rain can be expected.
{{/usCountry}}Higher rainfall activity is likely over Odisha, Gujarat, Konkan and Goa in the next five days, over central India on July 4 and 5, and over northwest India between July 5 and 6, the weather bureau said. While parts of northwest India, including Delhi, saw a good start to the monsoon, there is likely to be a brief break in the region over the weekend. However, isolated and light rain can be expected.
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Monsoon this year is likely to be normal in most parts of the country, according to Mahesh Palawat, vice-president of meteorology and climate change at Skymet Weather Services, a private forecaster.
“Monsoon covered the entire country today (Saturday). Moderate to heavy rain may continue over many parts of Madhya Pradesh, east Rajasthan and Gujarat until next week,” he said. “The weather in Delhi and NCR (national capital region) may go almost dry with partly cloudy skies. Patchy rain cannot be ruled out in the next 2-3 days. It may intensify between July 5 and 7.”