Monsoon likely to cover entire India in next 2-3 days, says IMD

The monsoon normally covers the country by July 15, but this time it is expected to do so about 14 days before the anticipated date

Sanjeeb Mukherjee Agencies New Delhi

Last Updated : Jun 29 2018 | 2:09 AM IST

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The south-west monsoon, which reached Delhi on Thursday and stretched into Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir, is expected to cover the country in the next two-three days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its daily update on June 28.

The monsoon normally covers the country by July 15, but this time it is expected to do so about 14 days before the anticipated date.

“The south-west monsoon has further advanced into some more parts of the Gujarat region, most parts of east Rajasthan, some parts of West Rajasthan, entire Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, remaining parts of west Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab," the IMD said.

“Conditions are favourable for further advance of the south-west monsoon into remaining parts of the north Arabian Sea, Gujarat, Rajasthan and thus the entire country during the next 2-3 days,” the IMD added.

The monsoon reached Kerala on June 28, three days ahead of the normal onset date. It pounded the western coast in the first half of the month.

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Then, after a brief lull, it made a steady advance.

The south-west monsoon gives 70 per cent of rain to the country.

In North India, meanwhile, the monsoon advanced into Punjab and Haryana on Thursday, bringing widespread rain and lowering the temperature by a few notches.

“More rainfall is likely over many parts of Punjab and Haryana during the next two-three days. Heavy rainfall is also likely at isolated places during next two days,” the IMD said.

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Last year the monsoon’s arrival in Punjab and Haryana had been delayed by more than a week and it was only around July 12 that it had fully covered the two states.

This year, however, it arrived a day before of its expected arrival in the two states. The maximum temperature continued to hover a few notches below normal for the second day on Thursday, settling in the range of 29-35 degrees Celsius.

Haryana’s Revenue and Disaster Management Department had also issued an alert in view of the MeT’s heavy rain warning, and said the intensity of rain would be more in districts Kaithal, Karnal, Jind Panipat, Hisar, Fatehabad, Yamunanagar and Ambala.

The south-west monsoon gives 70% of rain to the country