Monsoon reaches Delhi one-day early
NEW DELHI: Monsoon reached the national capital on Thursday, a day ahead of its scheduled arrival, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
It would cover the entire country in next 2-3 days, Additional Director General Mritunjay Mohapatra said, implying that the Southwest Monsoon could cover the rest of the nation a fortnight before its scheduled date.
The usual onset date for monsoon in Delhi is June 29 while it usually reaches Sriganganagar in west Rajasthan, its last outpost in the country, on July 15.
“Southwest Monsoon has further advanced into some more parts of Gujarat region, most parts of east Rajasthan, some parts of West Rajasthan, entire Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, remaining parts of west Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab,” the IMD said.
“Conditions are favourable for further advance of Southwest Monsoon into remaining parts of north Arabian Sea, Gujarat, Rajasthan and thus the entire country during the next 2-3 days,” the IMD added.
This year, the monsoon reached Kerala on June 28, three days ahead of its normal onset date. It battered the western coast in the first half of the month.
However, after a brief lull, it made a steady advance.
The Southwest Monsoon gives 70 per cent of the rain to the country, where agriculture remains a significant contributor to the GDP.