Women use scarves to shield themselves from heat in Delhi. (PTI Photo)
The southwest monsoon has weakened over the Arabian Sea, stalling its advance over parts of India, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD). The IMD has posted a rainfall time series based on real-time data on its website, which shows the countrywide rainfall deficit for the season has hit 31 per cent.
According to the weather department, the southwest monsoon hasn't budged since June 3 and is stuck at Bengaluru and Siliguri, according to the dates of onset graph released by IMD.
According to normal onset dates, monsoon normally reaches Mumbai by June 10 and Kolkata too around the same time.
The advancement of southwest monsoon began early this year, and there were hopes that it will cover the entire country ahead of the schedule. But this delay means Delhi will continue to experience heatwave condition, which is expected to last till June 9.
Similar forecast was made by independent forecaster Jason Nicholls. "#Monsoon advance remains stalled with MJO in phase 8, but is expected to reach #Mumbai & #Chennai over the next 2-3 days. Meanwhile, hot in NW #India with areas of blowing sand/dust in #Rajasthan, #Haryana & perhaps western #UttarPradesh into Tuesday," he said in a tweet on Monday.
The IMD, in a weather forecast bulletin released on Tuesday morning, said that widespread light/moderate rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim in the next five days.
"Isolated extremely heavy rainfall also likely over Meghalaya during 08th-10th June," it further said.
Timely arrival of the monsoon is critical for India's crop output and economic growth. Farmers generally wait for the monsoon to start before they begin planting food grains, cotton, soybeans, peanuts and sugarcane. Any deficit in rains during the early part of the season could delay sowing and reduce harvests, even if the monsoon gathers pace later.
Meanwhile, Delhi has witnessed severe spell of heatwave in recent days.
The temperature in parts of national capital was above 47 degrees Celsius on Monday.
The maximum temperature was 47.1 degrees at Mungeshpur and Pitampura recorded 46.5 degrees Celsius. The weather station at Najafgarh recorded a maximum temperature of 46.2 degrees Celsius.
In Ganganagar in Rajasthan, the highest temperature was 47.5 degrees Celsius. Hisar in Haryana reported 46.8 degrees Celsius.