Southwest monsoon back on track after stalling for two weeks, heatwave to ease: IMD officials

The southwest monsoon has revived after being stalled for more than a fortnight and rains are set to cover central parts of the country this week, bringing relief from the heatwave in the northern plains, Reuters reported citing two senior weather officials said on Monday.

India receives nearly 70 per cent of its rainfall from the southwest monsoon. Majority of the country depends on this water for farms and to replenish aquifers and reservoirs.

Nearly half of India’s farmland has no irrigation and depends on the annual June-September rains for crop growth.

Monsoon’s revival comes amid favourable weather system in the Bay of Bengal, which would help the monsoon to cover entire central India this week, an official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) told Reuters.

On Monday, monsoon rains covered entire Maharashtra and entered into neighbouring Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, the official said.

Monsoon hit the Kerala coast on May 24, covering the southern, northeastern and some western parts of the country ahead of its usual schedule. However, its progress has stalled since May 29, according to an IMD chart that tracked the monsoon’s progress.Now, the monsoon has regained its momentum and heavy rainfall is likely over west coast, central and some parts of north India in next ten days, which will significantly bring down temperatures. In the first half of June, India received 31 per cent lower than average rainfall. However, the country is set to receive above normal rainfall in the second half of the month, the official said.

Monsoon rains are set to progress quickly in the next few days and could cover most parts of the country before the end of June, the official added.

Monsoon rains usually hit Kerala around June 1 before spreading nationwide by mid-July, allowing farmers to plant crops such as rice, corn, cotton, soybeans and sugarcane.

(With inputs from Reuters)