Monsoon to soak Delhi in next 5 days, says IMD

Delhi will receive monsoon showers within next five days, way ahead of the expected June 29 date, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said Friday.

"Monsoon has been progressing well over the country and is likely to reach the northern India ahead of the schedule. Monsoon is most likely to reach Delhi within next five days from today (Friday)," IMD director B.P. Yadav told IANS.

He declined to give an exact date but said monsoon rains will soak the national capital much before the official June 29 date.

For the last two days, Delhi has been receiving pre-monsoon showers that have brought some relief from the sweltering heat.

The IMD also issued updated forecast for the southwest monsoon from June-September.

Despite good rains in southern, central and western states, the IMD said the seasonal rainfall for the country as a whole is likely to be only normal.

This year, setting in of southwest monsoon over the Andaman Sea was advanced by three days.

The monsoon set in over Kerala on June 1, which is the normal date of its onset.

The country so far has received excess rainfall.