Monsoon sets in over parts of Maharashtra

THE monsoon has advanced into most of parts of Maharashtra, parts of Madhya Pradesh and eastern regions in the last 24 hours, reports Sandip Das in New Delhi. According to an India Meteorological Department statement on Monday, conditions are favourable for further advance into parts of south Gujarat, rest of Madhya Maharashtra, some more parts of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and east Uttar Pradesh and parts of Bihar in next 48 hours.

New Delhi, June 20: The southwest monsoon has advanced into most parts of Maharashtra, including the drought-hit regions of Vidarbha and Marathwada, parts of Madhya Pradesh and eastern regions during the last 24 hours.

According to India Meteorological Department (IMD) statement on Monday, the conditions are favourable for further advance of monsoon into parts of south Gujarat, remaining parts of central Maharashtra, some more parts of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and east Uttar Pradesh and parts of Bihar during the next 48 hours.

“Heavy to very heavy rain very likely at a few places over sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim, north Bihar, Assam, Meghalaya and Kerala and heavy rainfall expected at places over Uttarakhand, east Uttar Pradesh, Konkan, Goa and Coastal Kar nataka,” IMD has stated in its forecast for next couple of days.

Experts say that the advancement of monsoon into central and eastern regions would boost kharif sowing activities in the key pulses and paddy growing regions.

“After a long wait, southwest monsoon has finally made an onset over Mumbai. The monsoon has covered the entire region of Vidarbha & Marathwada. During last 24 hours good rains have been observed over these regions,” private weather forecaster Skymet said. Meanwhile, Met department official said manypartsof northernIndia also received pre-monsoon rainfall thus indicating that monsoon rains expected during next one week or so.

The IMD has stated that the average quantum of rainfall during June 1-June 19 has been 65.4 mm against the normal range of 84.6.7 mm thus making it 23% less than the benchmark. However, a Met department official said that the monsoon had entered Kerala coast only on June 8 against the usual date of June 1, thus showing a large deviationfromnormalbenchmark.

After two successive years of deficient monsoon, IMD has reiterated its April prediction by stating that monsoon would be 'above normal' at 106% of the benchmark LPA, with a model error of ± 4%.