As rain struck Delhi, bringing down temperatures by several notches on Monday, there is the good news on the monsoon front. After a low start, with 24 per cent deficit during the first fortnight, the South West Monsoon is all set to make its presence felt in the week ahead. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has stated that conditions are favourable for further advance of southwest monsoon into remaining parts of Konkan, Marathwada, Vidarbha, Madhya Maharashtra, parts of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh during next 48 hours.
Further, fairly widespread rainfall activity is also likely to set in over northwest India from June 26.
In Delhi, a spell of smart showers brought respite from the tormenting heat and humidity. While 10.1mm of rain, lasting for six hours, was recorded at Safdarjung Observatory, Palam registered 3.4mm of rain during the same period. The temperature dropped by 9 degrees Celsius in the national Capital.
The IMD has predicted that conditions are favourable for a brief spell of thundershowers on Tuesday as well. However, according to IMD officials, relief may last only for a day or two, following which the temperature is expected to rise again.
This year, monsoon is expected to make a timely onset over Delhi on June 29, they said.
According to weather experts, a monsoon-boosting, wind-cloud weather pattern known as the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) is passing over the country. The phenomenon is propitious in providing this renewed rainy surge. It has been associated with formation of low-pressure areas, cyclones and even the onset of the monsoons.
They explained that MJO is basically an eastward moving pulse of clouds, rainfall, winds and pressure near the equator it is mostly dominant over the Indian and Pacific Oceans. When it is over the Indian Ocean during the monsoon season, it brings good rainfall over the Indian subcontinent. On the other hand, when it witnesses a longer cycle and stays over the Pacific Ocean, MJO brings bad news for the Indian Monsoon. In the present situation, the MJO thus augurs well for India.
According to the IMD, the monsoon is seen advancing into the central Arabian Sea. Its onset in Mumbai could even be declared in 24 hours. The offshore trough that was weak, and stuck between Kerala and Karnataka can now be seen in north and south Konkan. The winds are also westerly and south westerly and the skies are cloudy.
Simultaneously, the eastern arm of South West Monsoons through Bay of Bengal, is also making progress in Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim and Northeast India have been receiving very heavy showers.
The weather conditions look conducive for further advance of Southwest Monsoon into interior parts of Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar during the next few days.
Thereafter, both the eastern and western arm will move together to carry the season’s monsoon towards the northern parts of the country.