The IMD has issued a heavy rain alert for the weekend, predicting an acceleration of the monsoon over northern India.

Rainfall Deficiencies Across India: 19% Nationally, 57% in Northwest, and 23% in Central Regions

News.. Jun 26, 2024 0 8 Add to Reading List

The IMD has issued a heavy rain alert for the weekend, predicting an acceleration of the monsoon over northern India.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), there's expected to be an increase in rainfall over northwest India, with heavy to very heavy showers likely from June 28 to 30.

The IMD announced that the northern limit of the monsoon currently spans from Mundra to Raxaul via Mehsana, Udaipur, Shivpuri, Siddhi, Lalitpur, Chaibasa, Haldia, and Pakur. Conditions are expected to facilitate the monsoon's advance into the remaining parts of the North Arabian Sea, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, more areas of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, most of East Uttar Pradesh, additional parts of West Uttar Pradesh, sections of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad, and the northern parts of Punjab and Haryana over the next 3-4 days.

The monsoon is currently delayed by approximately one week from its usual course, having slowed down for about nine days after June 11.

Across the country, there is a 19% deficit in rainfall. Northwest India faces a 57% shortfall, central India has a 23% deficit, and eastern and northeastern India are experiencing a 16% shortfall. In contrast, peninsular India enjoys a 9% surplus in rainfall.

"M. Rajeevan, former secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, stated on X that after its revival, the monsoon is projected to progress and encompass the entire country by July 5. Over the next 2-3 weeks, an active monsoon phase is expected, resulting in heavy rainfall along the west coast and northern India. There is a significant risk of extreme rainfall and potential flooding in northern India."

The IMD has issued an orange alert for isolated very heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand from June 28 to 30, East Uttar Pradesh from June 28 to 29, and in Haryana and West Uttar Pradesh from June 29 to 30.

According to a report by HT on June 22, IMD's extended range forecast suggests that the monsoon will intensify over northwest India and encompass most areas of the region from June 27 to July 3.