Monsoon unlikely over Delhi, Haryana and Punjab till July 7
With the north-western part of the country reeling under heatwave conditions due to breaking in Monsoon, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday said further advance of Southwest Monsoon into remaining parts of Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana and Punjab are not likely till July 7.
Though there is no sign of revival in the Monsoon (over the next seven days) that entered into break phase over central and peninsular India as well, parts of northeast India, Bihar, West Bengal and east Uttar Pradesh will see heavy rainfall during the next 6-7 days which may even create a flood-like situation in certain districts.
“As predicted, Monsoon enters into the break phase with little rain over the country. No signs of revival till 7th July. Heavy rains could trigger floods over NE and states like Bihar. Due to dry weather, temperatures will go up over NW India including Delhi with temps >40 degrees C,” tweeted Madhavan Rajeevan, secretary, ministry of earth sciences (MoES).
The IMD’s monsoon data as of June 30 shows 10% excess cumulative rainfall over the country as a whole, thanks to surplus rains in east, northeast and central India during the season’s first month.
Though the current break due to a weak Monsoon spell will disrupt the distribution of rainfall, it may not distort the overall farm outcome as far as the ongoing Kharif sowing operation is concerned. In any case, the peak sowing season in the northwest falls in July and August unlike other parts of the country that utilise rains in June and July for the sowing of summer crops such as paddy and maize.
On the progress of Monsoon, the IMD said it has, so far, covered most parts of the country except parts of Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana and Punjab. It noted that there has not been “any progress” of Monsoon since June 19 due to the “absence of formation of the low-pressure system over North Bay of Bengal” and other factors.
Although there is no possibility of its further advance in the next seven days, the IMD did not rule out the possibility of “isolated and scattered” rainfall in the northwest part of the country including Delhi-NCR in the next four days.
On heatwave, the weather department on Wednesday predicted such conditions over some parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Rajasthan and west Uttar Pradesh during the “next two days” and west Madhya Pradesh during the next 24 hours due to “likely dry westerly/ south-westerly winds from Pakistan to northwest India at lower levels”.
