India received 10% excess rainfall in June, says IMD, predicts normal monsoon in July

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New Delhi: Even as people across many parts of north India including Delhi NCR yearned for rainfall in the scorching summer of June, the rest of the country had it more than their usual share.

The India Meteorological Department has said that the country witnessed 10 per cent excess rainfall in June.

"For the country as a whole, cumulative rainfall during this year's Southwest Monsoon till June 30 has been above normal by about 10 per cent above Long Period Average (LPA)," the IMD said.

Actual rainfall during the same period is 18.29 cm as against the normal of 16.69 cm, it added.

On Thursday (July 1), IMD predicted the monsoon rainfall to be normal in July.

According to the IMD, the northernmost limit of southwest monsoon is passing through Barmer, Bhilwara, Dholpur, Aligarh, Meerut, Ambala and Amritsar. The further advancement of southwest monsoon into the remaining parts of Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana and Punjab is not likely till July 7.

Meanwhile, parts of central and north India are reeling under searing heat with temperatures soaring above 40 degrees Celsius.

Delhi witnessed a severe heatwave as it recorded 43.5 degrees Celsius on Thursday, the highest so far this year.

A respite from the heat is unlikely anytime soon as the monsoon is at least a week away, according to the IMD.

In sharp contrast, northeast India, Bihar and east Uttar Pradesh are witnessing heavy rains.

East and northeast India have received 1.3 per cent more rainfall than normal in June. Northwest India received 14 per cent more rainfall than normal, central India 17 per cent and south peninsula 2.4 per cent, the IMD said.