Monsoon in India: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday said that the southwest monsoon has covered the entire country today (July 2), six days more than the normal date of July 8. Monsoon has also advanced into remaining parts of Rajasthan, Punjab. and Haryana. At least 16 states and union territories received deficient rainfall in June, with Bihar and Kerala deficient by 69 per cent and 60 per cent, respectively, of normal.
Southwest Monsoon covers entire country today
“The Southwest Monsoon has further advanced into remaining parts of Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab today, 2nd July. Thus, it has covered the entire country today, July 2, as against the normal date of July 8 (6 days before the normal date). covering the whole of India),” the IMD said in a statement.
The Meteorological Department has also predicted widespread rainfall over the entire country except Rajasthan and Gujarat during the next five days. According to the IMD, the monsoon trough at mean sea level passes through Bikaner, Dausa, Gwalior, Sidhi, Ambikapur, Balasore and northwest Bay of Bengal.
cyclonic circulation
It further said that the cyclonic circulation over central parts of Uttar Pradesh extends up to 5.8 km above mean sea level. An offshore trough at mean sea level is extending from south Maharashtra coast to Kerala coast. “A cyclonic circulation persists over central parts of Southwest Bay of Bengal between 4.5 and 5.8 km above mean sea level. A cyclonic circulation persists over North Andaman Sea between 1.5 and 5.8 km above mean sea level. Sub-Himalayan West Bengal The cyclonic circulation persists over Sikkim and lies 3.1 km above mean sea level,” the IMD said.
Normal Monsoon in July
Earlier on Friday, the IMD had said that except for parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh and south Bihar, the monsoon is expected to be normal in July over the entire country. Other states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana also received below normal rainfall in June, the first month of the southwest monsoon season.
“The average monthly rainfall over the country as a whole during July 2023 is likely to be normal (94 to 106 per cent of LPA) and possibly within the positive side of normal,” IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said on Friday.
The countrywide Long Period Average (LPA) of rainfall during July based on 1971-2020 data is about 280.4 mm.
A warming phenomenon in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, called an El Niño condition, is expected to develop in July. El Nino is known to suppress monsoon rains. Mohapatra said that during most of the recent El Nino years, the rainfall in June has been within normal limits.
377 weather stations reported heavy rain events
He had said, “In 16 out of 25 years when June rainfall was below normal, July rainfall has been normal.” He said 377 weather stations across the country reported 115.6 mm-204.5 mm of heavy rainfall per day in June, while 62 stations reported extremely heavy rainfall, which exceeded 204.5 mm.
Mohapatra had said that the March-to-June summer season saw 281 meteorological subdivision days (MSD) of heatwave conditions, which is the third highest after 578 MSD in 2010 and 455 MSD in 2022. This is considered an MSD.
The weather office said that during July, maximum temperatures are likely to be above normal to normal over most parts of the country except a few areas of northwest and peninsular India. It said that the minimum temperature is likely to be above normal to normal over most parts of the country except in some areas of northwest India.
(with PTI inputs)