The 2024 monsoon season in India is off to a slow start, characterised by delayed progress and uneven rainfall distribution across the country with the India Meteorological Department saying the country will witness below-normal monsoon rainfall in June this year. This is likely to impact agricultural yields and food security, especially the Kharif crop, given that it is largely sown in June and July. While southern and some northeastern regions may see normal to above-normal rains, many areas in northwest and Central India face significant shortages. With at least 52 per cent of India's cultivated area relying on monsoon rains, the implications for agriculture are considerable.

The monsoon is also crucial for replenishing water reservoirs, which are essential for drinking water and power generation.

In an update on the arrival of monsoons in the country, the IMD on Wednesday said, "The average June rainfall for the country as a whole is most likely to be below normal, i.e. less than 92 per cent of the Long Period Average (LPA)."

Amid blistering weather being reported from parts of India since March, the country has received 20 per cent deficient rains since the southwest monsoon set in over Kerala on May 30, with the rain-bearing system making no significant progress between June 12 and 18, the weather department said.

However, conditions are now favourable for further advancement of the monsoon into parts of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, coastal Andhra Pradesh, northwest Bay of Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand over the next three to four days, it said.

"India received 64.5 mm of rainfall between June 1 and 18 which is 20 per cent less than the long-period average (LPA) of 80.6 mm," it said. Since June 1, northwest India has recorded 10.2 mm of rainfall (70 per cent less than normal), central India 50.5 mm (31 per cent less than normal), the south peninsula 106.6 mm (16 per cent more than normal), and east and northeast India 146.7 mm (15 per cent less than normal).

Meanwhile, normal to above-normal rainfall was expected in most areas of the southern peninsula and some parts of northeast India, while below-normal rainfall is anticipated in many areas of northwest and adjoining central India, as well as some parts of northeast India.

As North and East India grapple with severe heat waves, other regions are poised for contrasting weather conditions, experiencing very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall over the next few days.  West Himalaya and Sikkim are expected to witness heavy rainfall in the next 5 days which could lead to potential flooding and landslides in susceptible areas. Similarly, Assam and Meghalaya will also witness heavy rainfall periods between June 19th to 21 June  and Arunachal Pradesh till 20 June.