By IANS,
New Delhi : The southwest monsoon that is the lifeblood of India is progressing fast towards the north of the country. It is likely to hit Delhi a week ahead of schedule, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said here Thursday.
The meteorology office said that looking at the humidity factor and overcast sky in Delhi, it was expected that the monsoon would enter the city at least a week in advance. June 29 is the scheduled date of arrival of the monsoon in Delhi.
The IMD said that conditions were favourable for further advance of the monsoon into some more parts of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh by this Sunday.
“The latest analysis of global numerical weather prediction models indicates possibility of advance of monsoon well ahead of its normal schedule over northwest India including Delhi,” the IMD said in a communiqué.
This year, the monsoon entered Andaman Sea May 10, nearly five days in advance. It set in over Kerala on May 31, a day before its usual date.
“It advanced further rapidly and covered parts of south peninsula and entire northeastern states by June 2. It reached Mumbai on June 7 (three days in advance),” the IMD added.
The monsoon has maintained its rapid northward progression along the west coast and reached southern parts of Gujarat June 10 (five days early).
Northward advance of monsoon over east and central India has been more or less on schedule. By ThursdaY, it had covered West Bengal, Sikkim, Orissa, Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and parts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
In the peninsula, it has covered entire Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra.
“The advance of this year’s monsoon is much more smooth and rapid as compared to last year,” an IMD official said.
The met office said that rainfall during this year’s monsoon has been very good and well distributed as compared to last year. Out of the 36 meteorological sub-divisions, 30 have received normal rain or more this year against only 13 last year.