–IMD: Monsoon hits Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar
–Monsoon likely to hit Gangetic West Bengal, Telangana in 48 hours
–Monsoon may also hit Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh in 48 hours
New Delhi: After a two-day break, the monsoon current made further advance over the Indian mainland today. The current advanced to parts of Odisha, Jharkhand, and Bihar, and most parts of Gangetic West Bengal, India Meteorological Department said.
Monsoon also covered more parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh, and the remaining parts of Bay of Bengal and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim today, IMD said.
The current’s progress over most of these regions has been slow this year.
Monsoon usually covers most of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh and parts of Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar by Jun 15.
By Jun 15, it normally covers the entire eastern and central India.
The northern limit of the current now passes through Veraval and Surat in Gujarat, Sangli in Maharashtra, Bellary in Karnataka, Nandyal and Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, Bhubaneswar in Odisha, Bankura in West Bengal and Darbhaga and Raxaul in Bihar, India Meteorological Department said.
Conditions are favourable for monsoon advance to Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha and east Uttar Pradesh in the next 48 hours, it said. The slow pace of advance of monsoon current over the country is accompanied by weak rains.
The country has so far recorded 37.5 mm rainfall since Jun 1, about 49% lower than the normal weighted average of 72.9 mm for the period.
Rains have been poor in all the four homogeneous regions, and deficient to scanty in 28 of the 36 subdivisions so far.
IMD officials expect monsoon rains to remain poor in June. Rainfall is likely to remain below normal in July as well at 93% of the long period average, but is seen improving in August to 95% of normal.
IMD has forecast Jun-Sep monsoon rains below normal at 93% of the long period average.
Delayed progress of monsoon rains over country could hit start of sowing operations, as farmers commence planting kharif crops only after monsoon rains arrive.
Timely onset and distribution of monsoon rains is crucial for kharif crops, as they are mostly grown in regions that do not have irrigation facilities.
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