Monsoon Covers Entire Country Six Days Early: IMD

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said the southwest monsoon on Sunday blanketed the entire country six days earlier than the normal date, advancing into the remaining parts of Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana.

And on Friday, the IMD said the monsoon was expected to be normal in July across the country, except for parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh and southern Bihar.

The Met Office said the monsoon blanketed the entire country on Sunday, as opposed to the usual date of July 8.

Sixteen states and union territories experienced rainfall deficits in June, with Bihar and Kerala reporting massive deficits of 69 percent and 60 percent below normal, respectively.

Some other states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana also received less than normal rainfall for June, which is the first month of the southwest monsoon season.

“The average monthly rainfall over the country as a whole during July 2023 is likely to be normal (94 to 106 per cent LPA) and most likely within the positive side of normal,” said IMD Director General Mr. Marityunjay Mohapatra on Friday.

The long period average (LPA) of precipitation over the country during July based on 1971-2020 data is about 280.4 mm.

A warming phenomenon in the tropical Pacific Ocean, called El Niño conditions, is expected to develop in July. El Niño is known to suppress seasonal rainfall.

Mohapatra said that during most of the recent El Niño years, precipitation in June was within the normal range. “In 16 of the 25 years when precipitation in June was below normal, precipitation in July was reported as normal,” he said.

He said 377 weather stations across the country reported heavy rainfall – 115.6mm to 204.5mm per day – in June, while 62 stations reported very heavy rains of more than 204.5mm.

The summer season from March to June saw heat wave conditions across 281 Meteorological Sub-Divisions (MSD) days, Mohapatra said, the third highest after 578 MSDs in 2010 and 455 MSDs in 2022. If a meteorological sub-division reports conditions Heatwave, MSD is considered one. During July, normal temperatures are likely to be above normal maximum in most parts of the country except for some areas in northwest India and peninsular India, the Met Office said.

It said normal temperatures above the normal minimum are likely to be in most parts of the country except for some areas of northwest India.

(This story was not edited by the News18 staff and was published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)