With the first month of monsoon almost over, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that nearly half of the country has already received normal rainfall. As per the latest figures of the IMD, the monsoon deficit across the country has narrowed to 13 per cent of the long-period average (lPA) during the last week of the month from 25 per cent recorded during the previous week.
According to the latest predictions of the Met department, the monsoon is expected to hit Delhi within the next 2-3 days, following which it would pick up pace and advance to northwest including Haryana, Punjab, a large part of Rajasthan, and adjoining areas.
The IMD data stated that while 49 per cent of the country has so far received normal rainfall, 17 per cent got excess rainfall and the remaining 34 per cent got deficient rain.
Various parts of Central India, including Maharashtra and East Madhya Pradesh, continue to be among the worst hit. Even as the monsoon has advanced to Maharashtra, the Central parts of the State and Vidarbha have so far recorded a rainfall deficit of 34 per cent and 29 per cent respectively. East Madhya Pradesh is also facing a shortfall of 22 per cent. The Central India as a whole is facing a scarcity of 23 per cent, while the eastern and north-eastern parts of India collectively is devoid of 26 per cent rain.
Explaining the situation, the weather scientists explained that a deep depression in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Gujarat had affected the pace of the southwest monsoon by taking away a lot of moisture, but this is not expected to cast a long term impact on the overall progress of the monsoon during the season.
However, the ray of hope for the country lies in the formation of a low pressure system in the Bay of Bengal. This is expected to bring rain particularly along the eastern coast and the adjoining States.
The weather experts have thus forecast a “pick-up” in rainfall activities in several parts of the country from early July. Normal to above-normal rainfall is likely over central and peninsular India till July 10. Rainfall is also expected to increase over east India and north-east India from July 1.
The IMD has, however, predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in several parts of the country, including in certain parts of Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana, north and south interior Karnataka and Andaman and Nicobar Islands during next the 24 hours.