The monsoon has finally started progressing over northeastern parts of India following the weakening of severe cyclonic storm – Vayu – over the Arabian Sea, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday. The cyclone began developing in the Arabian Sea last week. It disrupted wind patterns and halted the progress of the monsoon from the southernmost tip of peninsular India.

“Today [Sunday], the monsoon activity picked up… [and brought] rain to most of the northeastern states, along with the northern parts of West Bengal,” said IMD’s senior scientist K Sathi Devi.

The monsoon arrived on the Kerala coast a week late on June 8. There has been 43% deficit rainfall till mid-June this year because of the delayed onset of the monsoon.

By June 15, the monsoon, which delivers about 70% of India’s rainfall, usually covers the entire northeast and other parts of the country up to eastern Uttar Pradesh. From the southern peninsula, the monsoon covers almost all of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat by mid-June.

The progress of the Arabian Sea branch of monsoon, which brings about 65% of all the humidity, will pick up only after Vayu dissipates completely.

“The normal flow of monsoon is likely to pick up after about 24 to 48 hours and bring rain to parts of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Maharashtra. There will not be a drastic increase in the rainfall, but the dry weather conditions will change. The progress of monsoon from the eastern coast is likely to reach Odisha in 24 to 48 hours,’’ said Skymet’s vice president (meteorology and climate change) Mahesh Palawat. Skymet is a private weather forecaster. Palawat said they expect the intensity to increase only by June 21 or 22 when interior states like Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand might receive rain.

The IMD has predicted that Vayu, which was situated 480 km south-west of Porbandar on Sunday evening, will continue to weaken and is likely recurve towards Gujarat.

First Published: Jun 16, 2019 23:40 IST