Monsoon Progress Delayed; Alerts Issued for Rajasthan, Bihar, and

The monsoon, which arrived in Kerala on June 4, has remained stationary along the western coast since June 8. According to Skymet, the delay in its progress is due to the absence of a strong low-pressure area or depression in the Bay of Bengal. It is expected to reach Mumbai within 7-8 days. So far, only 103 of the country's 723 districts have received normal rainfall due to the slow pace of the monsoon.

Weather alerts have been issued for several states. In Rajasthan, 23 districts, including Jaipur, Bharatpur, and Kota, are under a yellow alert for thunderstorms and rain. Over the past 24 hours, 10 districts in the state, including Jhunjhunu, recorded 2 inches of rainfall. Similarly, eight districts in Madhya Pradesh, including Raisen, Chhindwara, Gwalior, and Sagar, are expected to experience thunderstorms and rain. Bihar's Bhagalpur, Purnia, Champaran, and 23 other districts are under a rain alert, though temperatures in Patna and seven other districts exceeded 40°C on Tuesday.

Delhi-NCR witnessed rain and strong winds on Tuesday, with the maximum temperature dropping by up to 6°C below normal, making it the coolest day of June so far. Meanwhile, heatwave conditions persist in 10 states, including Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh, with temperatures exceeding 40°C in several cities. Varanasi recorded the highest temperature at 43°C.

Looking ahead, rain is forecast for Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, and Sikkim on June 18, with winds reaching speeds of 50-70 km/h in some areas. Heavy rainfall is also expected in parts of Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karnataka. On June 19, the monsoon is likely to advance further as the jet stream weakens, creating favorable conditions for its progression into Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Chhattisgarh.

Key Points

• Monsoon has been stationary along the western coast since June 8; expected to reach Mumbai in 7-8 days.
• Rajasthan's 23 districts, including Jaipur and Kota, under yellow alert for thunderstorms and rain.
• Bihar's Bhagalpur, Purnia, and 23 other districts face rain alerts; Patna recorded temperatures above 40°C.
• Delhi-NCR experienced its coolest June day on Tuesday, with temperatures dropping by up to 6°C below normal.
• Heatwave conditions persist in 10 states, with Varanasi recording the highest temperature at 43°C.