Late but not light: Monsoon spreads fast across India

It hit the coast of Kerala two days later than expected but this year the monsoon may sweep across India a fortnight ahead of its normal date. So not only look forward to a respite from the scorching heat in the north soon but also await good rains this year as per the weather forecast. According to the India Meteorological Department, the Southwest Monsoon has advanced into some more parts of the south Gujarat region and the remaining parts of Maharashtra, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

The monsoon is also set to make progress into parts of south Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and south Odisha. A low-pressure area is likely to build over the Northwest Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood during the next 24 hours. It is expected to become more marked during the subsequent 24 hours and move west­northwestwards across Odisha.

Monsoon picks up pace ahead of its schedule in India

Under the influence of the low-pressure area, fairly widespread rainfall activity with heavy to very heavy falls is likely over most parts of East India and adjoining Central India. Extremely heavy falls of more than 20 cm are expected over Odisha (11 and 12 June), Chhattisgarh (11 to 13 June), East Madhya Pradesh (13 June) and Vidarbha (12 and 13 June).

Due to the strengthening of westerly winds along the west coast in association with the low-pressure area, heavy to very heavy falls likely to continue over coastal districts of Maharashtra (10 to 15 June) and coastal Karnataka (12 to 15 June).

Monsoon to reach Delhi, UP and Bihar before time

Due to the west-northwestwards of the low-pressure area, isolated heavy falls are very likely over northwest India (excluding Rajasthan) from 12 to 14 June, while very heavy rainfall is expected over Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh on 12 June.

The monsoon hit the Kerala coast on June 3 and arrived in Mumbai on June 8. So far it has covered entire Maharashtra, southern Madhya Pradesh and parts of Odisha.

According to IMD Regional Weather Forecasting Centre head Kuldeep Shrivastava, the monsoon is expected to reach Delhi earlier than usual and reach Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in the next two days.

Third successive year of normal monsoon expected

Normally, the Southwest monsoon sets in over Kerala around 1 June and advances northwards in surges covering the entire country around 15 July.

As per official data of the MET department, India has recorded 21% excess rain between June 1 and 9. Earlier, the IMD predicted that this year the monsoon rainfall will be normal at 101% of the average.

In the last two years (2020 and 2019) India witnessed normal monsoons with rainfall of 110% and 109% respectively.

If the IMD forecast for 2021 proves right, the country will witness a third successive year of a normal monsoon since the 1980s.

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