Monsoon hits Rajasthan a day early

JAIPUR: Now, it’s official. Southwest monsoon entered Rajasthan on Wednesday, a day ahead of predicted time by the meteorological department.
In its forecast, the department had said that monsoon will hit the state on June 25. However, due to increased humidity and favourable conditions, monsoon swept across the southern districts of the state in the morning.Now, it is moving towards western Rajasthan. It is going to cover the entire state between June 28 and July 1.
According to the department, southwest monsoon covered Banswara Dungarpur Jhalawar districts in the morning. Now, it is moving towards Barmer, Jalore, Jaisalmer, Jodhopur and Pali.
Jaipur witnessed cloudy conditions, however, it didn’t convert into rainfall. “Jaipur is likely to get its monsoon rainfall in the next 48 hours,” said an officer.
“While covering 12 districts, including Sirohi, Rajsamand, Udaipur, Dungarpur, Banswara, Chittorgarh, Pratapgarh, Jhalawar, Kota, Bundi, Baran and Bhilwara, southwest monsoon also arrived in some parts of Ajmer and Sawaimadhopur,” said Shiv Ganesh, director, Jaipur meteorological office while talking to TOI on Wednesday.
By the evening, southwest monsoon covered 14 districts in the state. “It has arrived a day prior to its actual date of arrival. In the last 10 years, monsoon had entered state on June 15 only once in 2013. However, it usually arrived by June 25. Also, this was the third time when monsoon arrived ahead of time.”
The meteorological office further stated that conditions are favourable for progress of monsoon in other districts of the state. “There is a possibility that Jaipur is going to get its first monsoon rainfall by Friday,” said an officer.
The department stated that many places in southern and eastern Rajasthan are likely to get excess rainfall, while some districts in western Rajasthan are likely to get abnormal rainfall.
In its forecast, the department said many places in the state are likely to get moderate to heavy rainfall in the next 24 hours.
In 2019, almost 18 districts had got abnormal rainfall, six districts received excess rainfall, seven districts get scanty rainfall and three districts receive deficit rainfall.