PUNE: According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the country experienced 43 per cent rainfall deficiency between June 1 and June 19 due to the sluggish advancement of the southwest monsoon.
During this period, the expected normal rainfall across the country is 88.4 millimetre (mm); however, the rainfall recorded was 50.9 mm.
The India Meteorological Department said only the north-west region reported rainfall deficiency in the normal range due to Cyclone Vayu.
Central India including Maharashtra reported 54 per cent rainfall deficiency.
Southern peninsula reported 38 per cent while east and north-eastern region reported 45 per cent deficiency in rainfall during these 19 days.
Speaking to Sakal Times, Anupam Kashyapi, Head of Weather at India Meteorological Department, Pune said that during the initial onset of the southwest monsoon in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Cyclone Fani was active in the Bay of Bengal.
During this time, the onset of monsoon was slow. Later, the Bay of Bengal side of the monsoon became strong.
When the monsoon reached Kerala, right then Cyclone Vayu, absorbed all the moisture from the current, which later weakened the southwest monsoon. Now finally, the current is strong and the conditions are favourable for further advancement, said Kashyapi.
He added that as per current weather conditions, the monsoon is expected to reach Pune and Mumbai around June 23 and entire state by June 24 and latest by June 25.
The delay will continue till the monsoon reaches central India. The entire State is expected to get covered by June 25, said Kashyapi.
A good monsoon rainfall will come as a relief to Maharashtra as various regions have had larger deficient rainfall so far.
Vidarbha has 79 per cent rainfall deficiency between June 1 and June 19 followed by Marathwada, at 75 per cent.
Central Maharashtra reported 65 per cent deficiency in rainfall and Konkan and Goa reported 60 per cent rainfall deficiency during this time.
FAVOURABLE CONDITIONS FOR ADVANCEMENT OF MONSOON
- Conditions are favourable for further advancement of southwest monsoon. The India Meteorological Department on Friday said the southwest monsoon has further advanced in some more parts of south-central Maharashtra, most parts of Karnataka, remaining parts of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, entire Andhra Pradesh, most parts of Telangana, some parts of south Chhattisgarh, Odisha, remaining parts of Bay of Bengal, most parts of West Bengal and some parts of Jharkhand and Bihar.
- On Friday, the Northern Limit of Monsoon (NLM) passes through Ratnagiri, Sangli, Bijapur, Ramagundam, Jagdalpur, Phulbani, Jamshedpur, Asansol and Purnea.