NEW DELHI: The people of Delhi are likely to get some respite from simmering heat, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday forecasting that the southwest monsoon may reach Delhi by June 15, 12 days before its usual date of June 27.
Kuldeep Srivastava, head of the IMD’s regional forecasting centre, said in 2008, too, the wind system had reached Delhi on June 15. “Conditions are favourable for an early onset. It (monsoon) may reach Delhi by June 15 this time,” he said. A low pressure area lies over northwest Bay of Bengal.
It is likely to move across Odisha, Jharkhand and north Chhattisgarh over the next three to four days, the IMD said. A trough runs from south Punjab to the centre of this low pressure area. Also, strong south-westerly winds are prevailing along the west coast and an offshore trough lies off the west coast.
These conditions are likely to persist over the next five to six days. “Under these favourable meteorological conditions, the southwest monsoon is likely to advance over the entire country outside south Rajasthan and Kutch region of Gujarat during the next fivesix days,” the IMD said. Last year, the wind system had covered the country by June 29, seven days before the usual date of July 8.