Monsoon has entered into revival mode with a dramatic change in ambient conditions with clouds this (Friday) morning covering the West Coast, South and North Interior Karnataka, Telangana, parts of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, entire Chhattisgarh, parts of Jharkhand, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

This corresponds with the spread of expected rain cover ahead of formation of an all-important low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal off the North Andhra Pradesh-South Odisha by Sunday. A preparatory cyclonic circulation hangs over the region, India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

The ‘low’ will bring enhanced rainfall along the coasts for the next five days. Fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy falls may lash Maharashtra, Goa, Coastal Andhra Prades, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala and Mahe until at least until Monday.

Rain fury abates

Due to revival of the monsoon, rainfall intensity and distribution has already reduced over North-East India (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura). This is in line with the end of the ‘break monsoon’ phase that shifts rain belt to West, South and West-South-West.

Heat wave conditions are forecast for isolated pockets over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and West Rajasthan today (Friday) since the monsoon easterlies from the Bay of Bengal may take longer to establish here. The IMD expects the monsoon to formally enter the region by tomorrow (Saturday).

Meanwhile, moist monsoon easterlies from this circulation spreading out over East India brought moderate to heavy rain (in cm) over Nagpur-10; Gondia-7; Gaya-6; Harnai and Ghazipur-4 each and Sundernagar-3 cm from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm yesterday (Thursday).

Heavy rain

Rains will escalate to being heavy to very heavy today (Friday) over East Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, Coastal and South Interior Karnataka, Kerala and Mahe while being heavy over Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

Heavy rain is also forecast for today over Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Konkan, Goa, Madhya Maharashtra, Marathawada, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, Telangana, Rayalaseema, North Interior Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, the IMD said.

Thunderstorms and gusty winds may break out over Andaman & Nicobar Islands; slightly less gusty over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and East Rajasthan; and with lightning over Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Vidarbha.

Thunderstorms, lightning

Thunderstorms and lightning are also forecast for Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Benga, Sikkim, Odisha, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Madhya Maharashtra, Marathawada, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, Telangana, Rayalaseema, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal. Thunderstorms/dust storms with lightning and gusty winds are likely over West Rajasthan.

On the Arabian Sea side, strong winds (40-50 km/hr gusting to 60 km/hr) may prevail over the Lakshadweep area and along and off Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and South Andhra Pradesh coasts, the Comorin, Gulf of Mannar and Andaman Sea. Fishermen are advised not to venture into these areas.

An extended outlook for next week (July 13-15) said that active monsoon conditions would prevail over the country as a whole. Fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy falls are likely over Central and North-West India and along the West Coast and adjoining Peninsular India.

Active monsoon conditions

It will be scattered to fairly widespread over remaining parts of the country except over West Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal where isolated to scattered rainfall is likely.

To the North-West, scattered to widespread rain is likely from today and isolated heavy on Sunday and Monday over Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh, and Punjab; Uttarakhand and West Uttar Pradesh until Monday; and Himachal Pradesh, East Rajasthan, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi from Saturday to Monday.

As for Central India, it will be scattered to widespread with isolated heavy falls (over Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh and Odisha) for next five days. Isolated very heavy rain is likely over Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh and East Madhya Pradesh today; West Madhya Pradesh on Saturday and Monday.