MONSOON TO PICK UP BETWEEN JULY 14 AND 16

NEW DELHI: The monsoon trough (a low-pressure line), which shifted northward to the Himalayan foothills bringing extremely heavy rains of over 20 cm to north-eastern and eastern states has started moving southward, the India Meteorological Department said on Sunday. With the moving of the monsoon system, active monsoon rains are likely to resume over northwest and central India between July 14 to 16, the IMD said.

NEWDELHI: The monsoon trough (a low-pressure line), which shifted northward to the Himalayan foothills bringing extremely heavy rains of over 20 cm to north-eastern and eastern states has started moving southward, the India Meteorological Department said on Sunday.

With the moving of the monsoon system, active monsoon rains are likely to resume over northwest and central India between July 14 to 16, the IMD said.

The western end of the monsoon trough is presently passing through Ganganagar, Delhi and Bareilly; while the eastern end continues to run close to the foothills of Himalayas, according to IMD.

A cyclonic circulation is lying over east Bihar and neighbourhood. This, in addition with the convergence of south-westerly and southerly winds from Bay of Bengal in the lower tropospheric levels, is likely to continue over northeast and adjoining east India during next two days, the Met department said in its forecast. Widespreadandveryheavy rains will continue over northeast India, West Bengal, Sikkim, Bihar and adjoining east Uttar Pradesh for next five days, but the intensity of rainfall is expected to be lower than last week.

Moderate to severe thunderstorm and lightning is likely over many parts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar over the next 12 hours, according to IMD’s Sunday bulletin.

“As the monsoon trough shifts southwards, rains are expected in Delhi also but it will be in light

MODERATE TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND LIGHTNING ARE LIKELY OVER MANY PARTS OF UTTAR PRADESH, BIHAR OVER THE NEXT 12 HOURS, SAYS IMD

to moderate category. Overcast skies will continue.

Wind direction, which has been largely westerly because of the trough shifting northward, will switch to easterly now,” said Kuldeep Shrivastava, head, regional weather forecasting centre.

The country has received 14% excess rain this monsoon season -- 20% excess in central India, 16% excess in south Peninsula, 14% excess in east and northeast India -- and 3% deficient over northwest India.

IMD scientists said the distribution of rains have been largely even this year. The standardised precipitation index (an index to measure drought) shows many districts in eastern, central and peninsular India are in severely wet category while others are mildly wet.

“Once the trough shifts southwards, monsoon rains will gradually resume over northwest and central India,” said RK Jenamani, senior scientist at National Weather Forecasting Centre.