Monsoon set to revive in northwest India, boosting kharif sowing prospects
New Delhi: After nearly a week of subdued monsoon activity, rainfall is set to revive across the northwest plains from 20 July, bringing relief to
New Delhi: After nearly a week of subdued monsoon activity, rainfall is set to revive across the northwest plains from 20 July, bringing relief to farmers and improving prospects for kharif sowing. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast fairly widespread to widespread rainfall over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi during 20-22 July. Rainfall is also expected to intensify over east and west Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan during the same period, bringing the entire northwest plains under an active monsoon spell, the weather bureau said. Also Read | July rains ease monsoon deficit, but crop and inflation risks persist The revival comes at a crucial stage of the kharif season after nearly a week of subdued rainfall across the region.
Fresh showers are expected to replenish soil moisture, support sowing and crop establishment, particularly for water-intensive crops such as paddy, sugarcane and maize, while reducing dependence on irrigation and ease concerns over delayed planting in some districts. The northwest plains comprise Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, east and west Uttar Pradesh, and east and west Rajasthan. As of 10 July, farmers had sown kharif crops across 53.12 million hectares, down from 63.25 million hectares a year ago, according to government data. Meanwhile, the monsoon is expected to remain active over eastern and northeastern India. The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall over Bihar, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim, the Northeast and the western Himalayan region over the next seven days.
Isolated extremely heavy rainfall is likely over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim on 18 and 19 July. In contrast, rainfall activity is expected to remain subdued over west-central and south peninsular India during the next seven days. Over the past 24 hours, very heavy rainfall was recorded in Uttarakhand, Goa, interior Karnataka and Kerala, while heavy showers occurred in east Uttar Pradesh, east Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Rayalaseema, Meghalaya and Manipur. Thunderstorms accompanied by squally winds of 40-60 kmph were also reported at isolated places across Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Konkan-Goa. Despite the expected revival, the weather office has forecast hot and humid conditions over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi on 18 July.
Also Read | From food to electronics, climate resilience is reshaping Indian manufacturing The weather office has also advised fishermen against venturing into several parts of the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal over the coming days because of strong winds and rough sea conditions. The advisory covers waters along the Somalia coast through 22 July; the south Gujarat coast and parts of the north and east-central Arabian Sea during 18-22 July; the Oman coast during 19-22 July; and the north Maharashtra coast during 20-22 July.
The BriefWire