The IMD had last month reported that this year the southwest monsoon would be normal and would receive 103 per cent rainfall as against the last 50 years’ average of 87 cm.
New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday that the monsoon is progressing at a normal pace and is likely to reach Maharashtra in the next two days. Along with this, the Meteorological Office has also warned of torrential rains (more than 204.4 mm) in Arunachal Pradesh on June 10 and 11 and in Assam and Meghalaya for the next five days.
Significantly, 70 percent of the annual rainfall in the country comes from monsoon winds and it is considered as the lifeline for the agriculture-based economy.
IMD scientist R. Of. Jenamani said that the monsoon made landfall on the Kerala coast on 29 May and between 31 May and 7 June had reached South and Central Arabian Sea, entire Kerala, parts of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
“There is no delay in monsoon,” Jenamani told reporters. It is likely to reach Maharashtra in the next two days and the monsoon will reach entire Mumbai in the next two days.
“There are strong winds and clouds will start forming in the next two days,” he said.
Jenamani said that conditions are favorable for further advance of Monsoon into Goa and parts of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in the next two days.
The IMD had last month reported that this year the southwest monsoon would be normal and would receive 103 per cent rainfall as against the last 50 years’ average of 87 cm.
This will be the seventh year in a row that the country will receive normal rainfall during the active monsoon period from June to September.
Jenamani said that for the next few days, heavy rain is forecast in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya.
Assam has also experienced floods last month. The heavy pre-monsoon rains and the floods caused by it caused heavy damage to infrastructure including roads, railway tracks and bridges.
When asked whether the monsoon will reach Delhi-NCR and northwestern India by the normal date, he said that it is too early to say anything.
Last year, the IMD had forecast that the monsoon would reach Delhi two weeks before the normal date of June 27, but it reached on July 13, which is the record for the most delay in the last 19 years.
