Monsoon closer home, Met sees clouds of hope over north

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 4

Passing through a weak phase because of intensifying tropical storms in western Pacific, the southwest monsoon is expected to revive from July 6 (Monday).

The Met Department has predicted heavy to very heavy rain in Uttarakhand and at “isolated places” in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and northeast beginning Monday.

Subsequently on July 7 and 8, the IMD has forecast heavy rain over “parts” of hills and plains of the northwest India, including Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi. 

Private forecaster Skymet says that the current “weak” phase of the monsoon can be “attributed to all tropical storms becoming typhoons in the western Pacific”. 

During the past 24 hours, the monsoon has been normal over West Bengal, Sikkim and coastal Karnataka, resulting in heavy to very heavy rain over isolated places in Assam and Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and coastal Karnataka. Though the countrywide performance is still above normal (seven per cent), many parts of the country, including Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Chandigarh are showing a deficit. The northwest comprising Punjab, Haryana, Himachal, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, east and west UP and east and west Rajasthan has received 17 per cent rains so far. Punjab is running 16 per cent deficient, while the meteorological subdivision comprising Haryana, Delhi and Chandigarh is 23 per cent below the normal. Himachal Pradesh is also showing a deficit of 18 per cent. The above normal rains registered by the northwest are largely because of 60 per cent surplus rains in Jammu and Kashmir, 54 per cent in West Rajasthan and 39 per cent in east Rajasthan. 

In fact, many parts of Central India and South Peninsula are in red. However, monsoon is expected to gain strength from July 6 onwards. Parts affected between July 6 and 8 will be north and northwest India. Subsequently on July 9 and 10, Central India, including east Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Marathwada, Goa and Kerala will receive monsoon showers.

East and northeast India will continue to receive “moderate to heavy” rains due to a persisting monsoon along foothills and sub-Himalayan West Bengal. The only areas left out during the coming pulse will be Madhya Maharashtra, Gujarat and South Rajasthan, says the Skymet.