Monsoon covers all of India, says IMD
Monsoon advances to Delhi, 16 days behind schedule; IMD expects normal to above normal rain
NEW DELHI: Monsoon finally advanced to Delhi on Tuesday, 16 days behind the normal schedule of June 27, as it covered the entire country five days later than usual, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Tuesday. The monsoon normally covers the entire country by July 8 even as it did so by July 19 in 2019 and August 15 in 2002. The monsoon advanced into Delhi on July 19 in 2002.
The arrival of the monsoon is announced based on factors such as wind speed, consistency of rainfall, intensity, and cloud cover. It is crucial to the country’s farm-dependent economy and arrives in Kerala first around June 1 before covering the rest of India in over a month.
The progress of the monsoon towards Delhi and neighbouring states of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Punjab was delayed as it entered a “break spell” from June 29 to July 8. The “break” is normal for monsoon weather systems and usually lasts around a week. A longer break can affect agriculture. India receives about 70% of its annual rain during the four-month monsoon that is crucial for rice, soybean, and cotton cultivation.
IMD’S May 31 forecast for early Monsoon onset over Kerala raised hopes of fast advance across the country. But the Met department revised this at the last minute on May 30 and said the monsoon will arrive in India on June 3, two days later than the normal schedule.
The IMD on Tuesday said the monsoon further advanced into the remaining parts of the country, including Delhi, parts of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan. It added there has been a continued prevalence of moist easterly winds from the Bay of Bengal in the lower levels for the four days. IMD said there has been enhanced cloud cover and scattered to fairly widespread rainfall.
IMD said from 8.30 am on