Southwest monsoon misses its date with States

New Delhi: After an early onset over Kerala this year, the southwest monsoon has missed the normal onset date over Goa and Maharashtra. This is the season's first lag in progress.

Last year, the monsoon arrived here on June 5 itself. According to the monsoon onset calendar followed by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the normal date for monsoon onset over Goa and southern districts of Maharashtra is around June 7, followed by Pune on June 10 and Mumbai on June 11.

But this season, the monsoon's progress has started lagging, with many parts of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh yet to receive the season's first showers.

"After the onset, the Arabian Sea branch of the southwest monsoon has remained weak and there have not been any supportive strong westerly winds aiding the monsoon advance," an IMD official said on Friday. However, on Thursday, the Met department said that rainfall over Kerala, Tamil Nadu and areas where the monsoon has arrived will pick up within the next two days. According to indications the monsoon is expected to reach Pune and Mumbai around or after June 15.

Likewise, the monsoon's arrival over north Odisha and some parts of West Bengal, too, has been delayed. The southwest monsoon is not expected over these eastern states till Sunday. Since onset, the country's monsoon season has not been impressive in any way. Kerala, where it arrived on May 29, has received 58 per cent below normal rainfall. Rest southern states, where the monsoon has arrived, received less rain, including Karnataka (-15 per cent) and Lakshadweep (-26 per cent). Tamil Nadu is the only southern state where there has been normal rain, so far.

The all-India rainfall (as on June 9) was 41 per cent deficient.