New Delhi: Even as southwest monsoon continues to elude parts of north India, including Delhi, the country has received 10 per cent more rainfall than normal in June, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Wednesday.
Currently, the northernmost limit of southwest monsoon is passing through Barmer, Bhilwara, Dholpur, Aligarh, Meerut, Ambala and Amritsar.
“Since June 19 there has not been any progress of monsoon,” the IMD said, inferring that most of the advancement was recorded between June 3-19. The monsoon made onset over Kerala on June 3.
According to the IMD, the further advancement of southwest monsoon into the remaining parts of Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana and Punjab is not likely till July 7.
Central and north Indian plains are already reeling under searing heat that is pushing temperatures over 40 degrees Celsius.
The ongoing weak monsoon spell is over central, peninsular and northwest India while northeast India, Bihar and east Uttar Pradesh are witnessing heavy rains.
“For the country as a whole, cumulative rainfall during this year’s Southwest Monsoon till June 30 has been above normal by about 10 per cent above Long Period Average (LPA),” the IMD said.
Actual rainfall during the same period is 18.29 cm as against the normal of 16.69 cm, it said.
East and northeast India have received 1.3 per cent more rainfall than normal in June. Northwest India received 14 per cent more rainfall than normal, central India 17 per cent and south peninsula 2.4 per cent, the IMD said.
Southwest monsoon reached Kerala two days late. It raced through parts of the country, covering east and northeast India, central India, central peninsula and even large parts of north India much before its scheduled arrival.
But it is yet to reach Haryana, Delhi, parts of west Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.
“Forecasts based on model consensus show that the formation of a low pressure system over north Bay of Bengal is unlikely till July 7,” the IMD said.