Monsoon may hit Punjab, Himachal by June 25

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 15

Boosted by two low-pressure systems, one over southeast Arabian Sea that later turned into ‘severe cyclone’ Nisarga and another over the Bay of Bengal, the Southwest Monsoon has arrived in Gujarat and east Uttar Pradesh, the IMD said today. With conditions becoming favourable for its further advance into UP and MP over the next 48 hours, meteorologists are predicting an early arrival of monsoon in the Northwest, including Delhi, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.

According to the IMD, another low-pressure area is likely to form over north Bay of Bengal around June 19.

“The monsoon kept its onset date with Kerala and its arrival is almost 10 days early in Gujarat. It can arrive over Delhi by June 25-26. Pre-monsoon rains will pick pace from June 20,” says Mahesh Palawat of private forecaster Skymet.

“The weather in the hills and plains of the northwest India will remain almost dry and hot for at least the next three to four days. The rains are expected to reach Uttarakhand, HP, Delhi, Punjab and parts of J&K by June 25-26 with an error margin of three days,” says Palawat.

Relief on way

• Normal arrival date in the region has been revised up to June 27
• Hills and plains of Northwest to remain dry for next 3-4 days
• Pre-monsoon rains expected to pick pace from June 20