Haridwar: In an unusual turn of events, the monsoon arrived on Sunday, engulfing both Delhi and Mumbai. While the national capital experienced the monsoon two days ahead of schedule, the financial capital encountered a delay of two weeks, as reported by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
An official from the IMD stated, "Today (June 25), the Southwest Monsoon has advanced over Mumbai and Delhi." After a slow start, the monsoon has gained momentum, spreading across various regions, including parts of Maharashtra, entire Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, northeast India, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, east Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, most parts of Himachal Pradesh, and certain areas of Haryana, according to IMD officials.
Typically, the rain-bearing system reaches Kerala by June 1, Mumbai by June 11, and Delhi by June 27.
While the monsoon has covered a significant portion of North India, including Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and a substantial part of Jammu and Kashmir, on schedule or slightly earlier, it is currently running 10-12 days behind schedule in central India. This delay is of concern, particularly for farmers who heavily rely on the monsoon in these regions.
D. S. Pai, a senior scientist at the IMD, explained that the progress of the monsoon over southern India and the adjoining western and central parts of the country was hampered by Cyclone Biparjoy. "Due to the cyclone absorbing most of the moisture, the monsoon's progress along the west coast was sluggish," he stated.
However, the Bay of Bengal branch of the monsoon, responsible for bringing rainfall to northeast and eastern India, remained robust between June 11 and June 23. Pai attributed this to a low-pressure system that formed over the Bay of Bengal in mid-June, combined with the remnants of cyclone Biparjoy, which aided the monsoon's advancement over east India.
Pai further noted that the Arabian Sea branch of the monsoon is gaining strength, with a developing low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal. "On Sunday, the monsoon is expected to cover the entirety of Maharashtra and parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan," added the senior meteorologist. This signifies a renewed surge of the monsoon, with rapid progress anticipated.
In Uttarakhand, heavy rainfall has been reported in Haridwar, leading to waterlogging in various areas. Along with Haridwar, regions such as Rishikesh, Roorkee, Dehradun, and other parts of Uttarakhand are experiencing the monsoon's downpour. —Input from Agencies