Monsoon Arrives Early in Maharashtra, Gujarat: Where Is It Now & When Will It Hit Delhi, Northern India?

IMD announced onset of Southwest monsoon over Kerala. (PTI File Photo)

As Northern India awaits rain amid continued heatwaves and gusty winds, monsoons have already made an appearance in some parts of India, such as Kerala, Odisha and Maharashtra with heavy rains reported in Mumbai last week.

While some states like Maharashtra and Kerala witnessed monsoons earlier than predicted, states like Jharkhand, Bihar, Delhi and Punjab are still awaiting respite.

Meanwhile, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted heatwave conditions in parts of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, and Jharkhand until June 16 while a heatwave warning has been issued for Delhi until June 18.

Where is Monsoon Now In India?

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the monsoon could cover Odisha, coastal Andhra Pradesh and the north-west Bay of Bengal during the next three to four days.

Monsoon watchers said the low-level warm winds from the northwest were dominating the weak monsoon pulse over the Bay of Bengal and prolonging the hot weather conditions in parts of central and northern India.

According to the IMD forecast, monsoon rains across the country have been 4 per cent below normal so far this season. Northwest India, in particular, has experienced a significant rainfall deficit of 53 per cent. Meanwhile, Southern India experienced 60 per cent more rainfall than usual from June 1 to 12.

Monsoon In Maharashtra: Heavy Rain Lashes Mumbai

A sluggish southwest monsoon on Wednesday covered large parts of Maharashtra, awaiting a fresh pulse to march across central and northern India, which continued to reel under intense heat conditions.

Monsoon arrived in Mumbai on Sunday, two days ahead of the normal schedule, due to favourable conditions along the Maharashtra coast, according to the IMD.

Following heavy rains on Sunday, there was water-logging in many areas like Byculla, Sion, Dadar, Mazgaon, Kurla, Vikhroli and Andheri, severely impacting vehicular movement and causing long traffic jams.

When Will Monsoon Arrive in Delhi, Other Parts Of Northern India?

The IMD said on Wednesday that the monsoon was expected to arrive in Delhi and other parts of northern India by the end of the month, around June 27.

Heatwave conditions were observed on Wednesday in most parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand; in many parts of north Rajasthan; in some parts of Himachal Pradesh, south Bihar, north Odisha and in isolated pockets of Gangetic West Bengal.

Monsoon Arrival In West Bengal, Jharkhand

According to the latest weather forecast, widespread rain in five districts of North Bengal is predicted until June 18. The weather agency also said that Kolkata will receive rain on June 16, 17, and 18.

Heatwave conditions and delayed monsoon have aggravated Jharkhand’s rainfall deficiency to 54 per cent and it may rise further as monsoon onset over the state is expected around June 19.

Jharkhand has received a mere 20.2 mm rainfall from June 1 to June 13 against the normal rainfall of 43.4 mm, which is 54 per cent deficient.

Monsoon Arrived in Gujarat Four Days Early This Year

The southwest monsoon had an early onset in Gujarat on Tuesday with its northern limit passing through Navsari district in the southern part of the state, an India Meteorological Department (IMD) official said.

The monsoon usually arrives in Gujarat by June 15, said Ramashray Yadav, a scientist at IMD Ahmedabad.