BHUBANESWAR: The much-awaited south-west monsoon arrived in Odisha on Friday, bringing relief to farmers across the state.
Announcing its arrival, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the monsoon advanced into some parts of Odisha and Jharkhand on the day. The northern limit of monsoon is currently passing through Harnai, Solapur, Hyderabad, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Kalingapatnam, Paradip, Baripada, Purulia, Dhanbad and Muzaffarpur.
Conditions are favourable for further advancement of the monsoon into some more parts of central Arabian Sea, Maharashtra, remaining parts of Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and west-central Bay of Bengal, some more parts of Odisha, Jharkhand and Bihar and Chhattisgarh during next two to three days, it added.
Director of Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre Manorama Mohanty said this year, the monsoon first reached the coastal districts of the state. “Usually, the rain bearing weather system initially touches southern districts but its arrival in coastal districts is not unusual,” she added.
Since 2017, monsoon has entered Odisha through southern districts. However, it had arrived in coastal and northern districts in 2016, 2014, 2009, 2005, 2002, 1999, 1994, 1992, 1987, she added.
On the day, parts of the state including Bhubaneswar received the mild monsoon showers. However, with the monsoon’s predicted advancement, the regional met office has issued heavy rainfall warning for parts of the state on the weekend.
While Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri and Gajapati districts are likely to experience heavy rainfall on Saturday, similar weather condition may prevail in Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri districts a day later.
The regional met office said the sea condition is likely to be rough to very rough along and off the north Odisha coast on Saturday. It advised the fishermen to not venture into the sea in the same region in the next 24 hours.
Ahead of the rain bearing system’s arrival, pre-monsoon showers had gained pace since the last few days. In the last 24 hours, some parts recorded heavy rainfall activity. Ghasipura received 100 mm rain, Anandapur 90 mm, Kamakhyanagar 80 mm, Hatadihi, Altuma in Dhenkanal, Raighar and Khaira 70 mm each.
Odisha has recorded 35 per cent deficit showers between June 4 and 10, at a time when farmers are heavily relying on monsoon rains during the kharif crops. With El Nino setting in and no active weather system over the Bay of Bengal, experts are closely monitoring if the monsoon remains progressive in the coming days.