Despite a much-hyped onset on June 7, monsoon seems to be on a hiatus after reaching North Karnataka on June 10.
According to weather experts, cyclonic circulation should intensify for the monsoons to progress further into interiors of Maharashtra, Goa or the parched regions of Marathwada. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted the South-West monsoons to pick up in the country from June 16-17.
The conditions that led to the onset of monsoon on June 7, have weakened over the Arabian Sea. The scientists however explained that the advance of monsoon is not a continuous process but dependent on dynamic weather conditions.
While Goa is experiencing “monsoon like showers” along with Maharashtra, South Konkan and adjoining regions, they are still waiting for monsoons to step in. In order to declare the onset, “we study parameters such as wind pattern, rainfall and moisture content. In the present situation, we have to wait till June 16 and observe the activity in the state to declare the onset,” said the experts.
So far, monsoon activity has been largely confined to the coastal belts . Conditions will become conducive for further advance of monsoon in the west after two days. According to Skymet , country’s private forecaster, rains may pick up pace after 48 hours over Kerala coast as a fresh monsoon surge expected to affect Kerala and Karnataka coast. Further, the monsoon is also expected to further advance in north Bay of Bengal, some parts of north eastern states, sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim in next two to three days.
This slowing down of monsoon will however not affect IMD’s prediction of above normal rains this
year.
Meanwhile, as per the last figures available from the Ministry of Water Resources, the water levels in the country’s main reservoirs stood at 16 percent of their storage capacity , which is 11 per cent below from its corresponding period last year.