Delhi, nearby regions to get monsoonal rain only by July

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Delhi and parts of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan will have to wait till July for the first monsoonal rains as the wind system is unlikely to cover the region in the next seven days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

The northern limit of the southwest monsoon currently passes through Barmer, Bhilwara, Dholpur, Aligarh, Meerut, Ambala and Amritsar.

"Present meteorological conditions and model forecasts indicate that large-scale features, as well as the prevailing wind patterns over the region, are not likely to be favourable during the next one week for further advance of the southwest monsoon into the remaining parts of Rajasthan, west Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Punjab," the IMD said in a statement.

India has received 37 per cent excess rainfall during the monsoon season so far, the India Meteorological Department said.

The country gauged 13.78 cm precipitation against the normal of 10.05 cm till June 21, it said.

"The cumulative rainfall during this year's Southwest Monsoon season till June 21 has been excess by about 37 per cent above Long Period Average (LPA)," the weather department said in a statement.

It said that northwest India has received 71.3 mm rainfall against the normal of 40.6 mm rainfall during the period, a surplus of 76 per cent.

Central India has registered 145.8 mm rainfall against the normal of 92.2 mm, an increase of 58 per cent.

The southern peninsula has received 133.6 mm rainfall, which is 24 per cent more than normal, while east and northeast India witnessed 253.9 mm rainfall against the normal of 224.8 mm during the period.

After arriving two days late in Kerala, the monsoon raced across the country, covering eastern, central and adjoining northwest India 7 to 10 days earlier than normal, according to the IMD.

However, further progress over the remaining parts of country, including Delhi, parts of Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab, is unlikely during the next seven days, it said.

(With PTI inputs)