Monsoon resumes northward journey after weeklong halt

NEW DELHI: The monsoon advanced beyond the coastal belt after a weeklong halt, soaking parched fields in the eastern and central India and calming some concerns over its delayed progress. The weather office now expects the rain-bearing clouds to advance across northwest India, helping boost planting of summer crops from soyabean to rice.

The monsoon that brings almost 70% of the country’s annual rains has been weaker than usual so far this season. According to the government’s weather bureau, India received 43% less showers than normal between June 1 and 19, raising concerns that the weather system may have stranded, as in 2009 when India suffered a drought.

"Rains will pick up in the northeast and east India and cover more parts of central India. However, rainfall is expected to be subdued over parts of interior Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh," said BP Yadav, head of the National Weather Forecasting Centre at the India Meteorological Department in New Delhi. He expects more rains in the plains of northwest India in the next two-three days.

Though it reached India’s mainland several days later than the usual June 1 this year, the monsoon is likely to set on Delhi and the National Capital Region ahead of schedule. "Models are indicating that on June 24-25, rains will increase over Delhi NCR. Conditions will be favourable for the onset of monsoon over Delhi during that period," said Mahesh Palawat of Skymet Weather Services.

By Thursday evening, the monsoon has advanced towards Madhya Maharashtra, parts of interior Karnataka and Telangana, remaining parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, entire Chhattisgarh and some parts of Vidarbha, east Madhya Pradesh and east Uttar Pradesh, the IMD said.

Scientists say the progress over the eastern arm of the monsoon was catching up, but the western arm was still weak. "We don't see any immediate progress of the monsoon over Madhya Maharashtra, Gujarat, south Rajasthan and West Madhya Pradesh," said Palawat.

Meanwhile, dropping temperatures have offered some respite to people. Except for Rajasthan, temperatures in most parts of the country were below 43 degree Celsius. Churu in Rajasthan recorded the maximum temperature on Thursday at 45 degrees.