A Skymet official predicted an increase in rainfall in July, adding that the country might receive "satisfactory" rainfall "until the first 10 days of July at least". Mahesh Palawat, Vice-President of Meteorology and Climate Change, Skymet Weather, said the onset of monsoon this year was weak.

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Monsoon had stalled due to Cyclone Biparjoy but winds are now strengthening, the official said. Explaining the phenomena, he said Cyclone Biparjoy pulled the moisture away and "that's why the onset of monsoon is delayed. But now, the rains will be satisfactory until the first 10 days of July at least," he told CNBC-TV18. He didn't "expect rainfall distribution to be too skewed".

#Monsoon will reach Maharashtra in next 3-4 days, says @Mpalawat of @SkymetWeather. Tells @_prashantnair, @_soniashenoy & @SurabhiUpadhyay that Kharif sowing is delayed by 10-12 days, but rains will pick up in early July. pic.twitter.com/Lvoj36pPNP

— CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18News) June 19, 2023

Palawat further informed that the monsoon will take another three to four days to reach Maharashtra. "Thereafter, there will be steady progress in interior parts as well like Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada, Vidarbha all these areas. They will also start receiving good rain," he added.

But the Kharif sowing has now been delayed by 10 to 15 days. "But now the things are looking very bright as we have to wait another three to four days at least," he said.

In the week ending June 16 this year, 49.48 hectares of the area were sown with Kharif crops. This was 49 per cent less than that sown in the same week last year, as per the data released by the National Food Security Mission.

Monsoon's current status as per IMD

The monsoon reached Ratnagiri (southern Konkan region, Maharashtra) last week, as per the India Meteorological Department. Dr Sushma Nair, a scientist at the IMD said the monsoon reached Ratnagiri on June 11. However, till Sunday evening, the monsoon was still stalled in Ratnagiri.

According to the IMD, the Southwest monsoon is likely to revive in the next three-four days and this is likely to impact the eastern region, east-central, and southern peninsula region. The IMD claims that things are improving.

Cyclone Biparjoy was the system that disturbed the timeline and developments for the advancement of monsoon. There are no clouds. The lack of strong westerly and south-westerly winds is obstructing the advancement of monsoon.

"The system (Biparjoy) sucked all the moisture stalling monsoon advancement. We are expecting favouable conditions in the next two-three days...We expect the weak westerly and south-westerly winds to gain strength in the next two-three days," Nair said.

She added that there is a rainfall deficit in the entire region for June, "but hopefully, the situation will change in the next two-three days".

First Published:Jun 19, 2023 2:55 PM IST