IMD Declares Early Arrival Of Monsoon In Maharashtra

Mumbai: Maharashtra has witnessed the arrival of monsoon 10 days earlier than usual. A day after the monsoon arrived in Kerala, Shubhangi Bhute, director of IMD, Mumbai, on Sunday said that the southeast monsoon has reached Devgad in Konkan region of Maharashtra.

Generally, the monsoon arrives in Maharashtra and Goa on June 5. Although Mumbai witnessed rainfall from Saturday night, the India Meteorological Department (IMD called it a “pre-monsoon shower”. Officials from IMD said that the monsoon will reach Mumbai in the next two days.

According to the IMD, as per the record, Maharashtra has been witnessing the arrival of monsoon in the month of June since 2011. However, this year it has already reached the Konkan region on 25 May. “35 years ago, Maharashtra had witnessed the onset of monsoon on May 20th, 1990,’ an official from the IMD said, referring to the records log.

As per the data shared about the onset of monsoon over Mumbai by the IMD, the earliest monsoon onset in Mumbai was logged on May 29 in 1971, 1962, 1956 and on May 31 in 1990 and 2006.

Mumbai, Mumbai suburb and Palghar districts on Sunday woke up witnessing the heavy rain and thunderstorms.

IMD also said that conditions are favourable for further advance of Southwest Monsoon into some more parts of central Arabian Sea, some more parts of Maharashtra including Mumbai, Karnataka including Bengaluru, some parts of Andhra Pradesh, remaining parts of Tamil Nadu, some more parts of west central and North Bay of Bengal and some more parts of Northeastern states during next three days.

According to the IMD, rainfall over Maharashtra is likely to continue during the next five to six days. “Fairly Widespread to Widespread rainfall activity with Heavy to Very Heavy rainfall at isolated places is very likely to continue over Konkan and adjoining ghat areas of Madhya Maharashtra during this period,” it said.

However, the state government has advised farmers not to begin sowing immediately as from May 27 onwards, the monsoon’s progress is expected to slow down, leading to significant changes in the state’s weather.

“According to current forecasts, starting May 27, the weather across the state will gradually become dry, with a slight increase in temperatures. By the end of May, most parts of the state — except Konkan — are likely to experience predominantly dry weather, and this condition is expected to persist until at least June 5. As a result, there is little likelihood of the monsoon setting in or bringing rainfall to most parts of the state before June 5. During this period, the monsoon’s advancement may also temporarily halt in other parts of the country. Since the weather is expected to turn dry, premature sowing could lead to potential losses for the farmers,” an official from the state agriculture department said.