Monsoon covers peninsular India, conditions favourable for further advance
The southwest monsoon has advanced into more parts of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, with the IMD forecasting further expansion and increased rainfall ahead.
The southwest monsoon gathered pace on Monday, June 8, advancing into several new parts of peninsular India and adjoining seas, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The weather system has now spread across additional areas of the west-central and east-central Arabian Sea, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, while also making its first entry into parts of Telangana.
The southwest monsoon is India's primary rainy season, typically lasting from June to September. It delivers nearly 70 per cent of the country's annual rainfall and is crucial for agriculture, water supplies and power generation.
MONSOON DRENCHES SOUTH AND CENTRAL INDIA
The IMD said the northern limit of the monsoon currently stretches across the Arabian Sea before passing through Harnai in Maharashtra, Solapur, Kalaburagi in Karnataka, Nandyal in Andhra Pradesh and Chennai in Tamil Nadu.
From there, it extends across the Bay of Bengal and into parts of the Northeast.
The latest progress indicates that the monsoon is advancing steadily and, in some regions, is keeping pace with or moving slightly ahead of its normal schedule.
The expansion is expected to bring much-needed rainfall to farming regions preparing for the kharif sowing season, which includes crops such as rice, cotton, soybean and pulses.
CONDITIONS REMAIN FAVOURABLE
Meteorologists said weather conditions remain favourable for the monsoon to strengthen further over the next two to three days, with IMD expecting it to spread into the remaining parts of the central Arabian Sea and additional areas of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
The weather system is also likely to cover all remaining parts of Tamil Nadu and the southwest Bay of Bengal while advancing farther north over the west-central and northwest Bay of Bengal.
The IMD has also forecast a significant increase in rainfall activity across eastern and northeastern India over the next 48 to 72 hours. The monsoon is expected to advance into parts of Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal and Sikkim, too.
Meanwhile, the remaining areas of the Northeast are likely to come fully under the monsoon's influence.
Residents across the region can expect more frequent and widespread rainfall, along with a gradual drop in daytime temperatures as the rainy season strengthens.