Weather Update: As an intense heatwave continues to grip the country, citizens are desperate to know when we will finally get relief and when the monsoon will fully arrive. In response, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has released its latest monsoon forecast.

Rain To Ease Deficit, But July Set To Be Drier And Hotter Than Usual

- Immediate Relief: India recorded its fifth-driest month June since 1901. However, heavy rainfall over the next 7 to 10 days is expected to temporarily ease the 40 per cent rainfall deficit currently facing the country.

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- Dry Spell Ahead: Despite this, overall rainfall is expected to be 'below normal' in most parts of the country throughout the month of July.

- Rising Temperatures: Adding to the woes, July is set to be hotter than usual, with temperatures likely to be higher than normal in many parts of the country.

Monsoon May Reach Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana In Next 2-3 Days

IMD Director General Dr Mrityunjay Mahapatra said that the southwest monsoon is advancing rapidly across the country and is expected to completely cover Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, and remaining parts of Rajasthan within the next two to three days.

A low-pressure area is forming in the Bay of Bengal. This weather system is expected to bring heavy rainfall during the first 10 days of July across Central India, from Odisha and West Bengal to Gujarat and Maharashtra.

The month of July is considered crucial for the agricultural sector, as it marks the peak window for farming and sowing essential Kharif crops like rice and maize. The IMD has forecast that the heavy rainfall expected over the next 7 to 10 days will significantly help farmers in sowing, particularly in areas of central India, where agriculture relies on the monsoon.

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Fifth-Driest June Since 1901

The weather office has shared a worrying statistic. This year, the country received just 99.5 mm of rainfall in June, the fifth-lowest June rainfall since 1901. Previously, the driest Junes were in 2009 (87.6 mm), 1905 (91.9 mm), 2014 (92.8 mm), and 1926 (96.7 mm).

The IMD estimates that IOD may strengthen slightly by late August or early September, which would trigger a wave of good rainfall during the final weeks of the season. However, it will not be enough to compensate for the rainfall deficit in June and July.

(With Inputs From Jagran.com And PTI)