After a week of delay, the southwest monsoon hit the Kerala coast on Saturday, bringing respite from sweltering heat and raising hopes of the agrarian community. The India Meteorological Department said several parts of the state as well as Lakshadweep have received good amount of rainfall.

The rainy season in Mumbai is expected to kick-start next week, said weather experts. According to IMD scientist KS Hosalikar, rains will likely arrive in coastal districts of Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg on June 12 and 13.

BMC officials are desperately waiting for the rains as the stock in the reservoirs supplying water to the city have plunged to an abysmal 10 per cent. The crisis has forced the authorities to curtail Mumbai's daily share of water from 3,800 million litres to 3,500 million litres. Currently, the reserve stock from Upper Vaitarna reservoir is helping the city meets its water requirement.

While the four-month rainy season has officially started, the moisture-laden air will take few more weeks before it covers the entire western, central and north India, where temperatures at several places have set new records. Last week, at least ten sites from India were among world's hottest places, said a report. On June 1, the mercury hit 50.6 degrees Celsius in Churu of Rajasthan.

Poor pre-monsoon showers, lowest in past 65 years, and delay in rains have forced farmers to push back sowing of crops. Growers of grains, pulses, cotton and sugarcane typically wait for the monsoon to start before they begin planting. Any deficit in showers during the early part of the season could delay sowing and reduce crops, even if it rains well later.

Monsoon accounts for more than 70 per cent of India's annual rainfall and the nation's crop output as well as the economy are heavily dependent on it.

Maharashtra is experiencing its worst drought in 49 years, with 151 tehsils and 28,524 villages impacted so far. Farmers in these areas will have to stare at their dry, cracked expanse for at least a week before raindrops hit the parched ground.

According a forecast by the meteorological department forecast in May, the annual rainfall during the monsoon season is likely to be 96 per cent of the long-term average. Last year's monsoon was 91 per cent of the average. This was a below-normal monsoon as per the weather office and missed forecasts for normal rain for a second year.

Rajesh Kapadia from weather watchers' blog 'Vagaries of Weather' has predicted pre-monsoon thunder showers from Tuesday.

According to the blog, if the low pressure of Kerala monsoon steers off the West coast then it can bring in monsoon by June 15 to Mumbai. If the system moves away from the coast (chances of which are so far bleak) then the onset of monsoon in the city may be further delayed.

City’s likely tryst with rain 

• According to weather watchers’ blog ‘Vagaries of Weather, Mumbai could get rains by June 15 
• That will be a huge relief for the BMC as the stock in reservoirs have plunged to just 10 per cent
• It will take few more weeks till the monsoon covers the entire western, central and north India that are currently under the grip of an intense heatwave