India will see widespread rainfall in the coming week | Today’s news
New Delhi: Rain activity is likely to remain widespread over several parts of India till September 21, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) also forecasting thunderstorms and lightning over many regions. The northwestern, central, eastern and western parts of the country are expected to witness moderate to widespread rainfall during the week.
In the northwest, relatively widespread to widespread rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning is likely over Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Punjab on September 16-17. Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan and Muzaffarabad will experience similar weather on September 17. Other parts of northwest India are likely to witness isolated to scattered rain with thunder and lightning.
Rain activity is expected to remain significant over central India as well. West Madhya Pradesh is likely to witness widespread rainfall during September 17-19, while eastern Madhya Pradesh is expected to witness similar conditions during September 16-17. Vidarbha and Chhattisgarh are likely to experience moderate to widespread rainfall during September 20-21 and September 19-21.
The eastern region is likely to remain wet for most of this period. Andaman and Nicobar Islands are expected to experience moderate to widespread rainfall from September 16 to 21. Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim are likely to experience widespread rainfall during September 16-20, while Gangetic West Bengal is expected to witness similar rains during September 16-20. Odisha may receive widespread rains during September 19-21.
Bihar and Jharkhand are likely to experience isolated to scattered rainfall during September 16-21, while Odisha is expected to see similar activity during September 16-18, the IMD said.
In the northeast, relatively widespread to extensive rainfall is likely over Arunachal Pradesh during the 16th-17th. September and over Assam and Meghalaya on September 16. Isolated to scattered rainfall is forecast over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya and remaining northeastern states during various periods till September 21.
West Indies are also expected to remain active. Konkan and Goa are likely to see moderate to widespread rain on September 16 and again during September 19-21. Isolated to scattered rainfall is likely over Madhya Maharashtra and Marathawada from September 16 to 21.
The southwest monsoon season has so far brought a cumulative rainfall of 673.6 mm during June 1 to September 14, which is 15% less than the normal 790.1 mm.
Meanwhile, around September 19, conditions become favorable for the southwest monsoon to begin withdrawing from parts of western Rajasthan, signaling the onset of the retreat phase of the four-month rainy season.
The south-west monsoon usually begins to withdraw from the north-west in September and its retreat proceeds gradually towards the south and east. Developments will be closely watched as the monsoon accounts for about 70% of India’s annual rainfall and its retreat marks the transition to the post-monsoon period.
