Southwest monsoon to revive in 5-6 days: IMD

The southwest monsoon has weakened after remaining "very active" during the first half of June, a meteorological department official said today, adding it is expected to revive in the next five-six days.

The India Meteorological Department official said the "lull" in monsoon activity is normal.

The northern limit of the monsoon continues to pass through Thane (including Mumbai), Ahmednagar, Buldhana, Amravati, Gondia, Titlagarh, Cuttack, Midnapore, Goalpara and Baghdogra.

"The further advance of the southwest monsoon has weakened. It was very active until June 15, but there is a lull now. However, it expected to revive in the next five-six days," IMD Additional Director-General Mritunjay Mohapatra said.

The southwest monsoon arrived in Kerala on June 29, three days ahead of its normal onset and, over the past a few days, it has battered parts of the western coast and the northeast.

Mohapatra said Odisha and other parts of east India would start receiving "good" rainfall from June 23-24 while Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and other parts of the southern peninsula from June 26.

For tomorrow, the IMD has predicted "heavy to very heavy rain" at a few places in Konkan, Goa and coastal Karnataka and heavy rain in parts of the sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, central Maharashtra and Kerala.

"Thunderstorm accompanied with squall are very likely at isolated places over Punjab while thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds and lightning are very likely at isolated places over Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Marathawada," the IMD said.