Southwest Monsoon has covered the entire country six days before the normal date, as parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat received their first seasonal rains on Friday.
The Monsoon had set over Kerala on May 29, three days ahead of the normal date of June 1.
"Southwest monsoon has covered the entire country on Saturday, six days before the normal date of July 8," the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Saturday.
Parts of western Rajasthan and north Gujarat, which were yet to receive monsoon rains, received their first showers on Friday.
However, the country has recorded a rainfall deficit of five per cent as on Saturday.
According to the IMD, all states falling in the monsoon core zone, barring Rajasthan, have received deficient rains till now. The monsoon core zone comprises the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Odisha which are rain-fed agricultural regions.
Gujarat has received 37 per cent deficient rains than the long period average (LPA) till July 2, followed by Odisha (-34 per cent), Maharashtra (-25 per cent), Chhattisgarh (-25 per cent) and Madhya Pradesh (-15 per cent). Rajasthan has received 33 per cent excess rains than the LPA.
According to the forecast for July issued by the IMD, the rainfall average for the country as a whole is most likely to be normal at 94 per cent to 106 per cent of the LPA for the month. The LPA for July, based on the rainfall data from 1971-2020, is about 280.4 mm.
The weather office has forecast enhanced rainfall activity over Odisha, Gujarat, Konkan, and Goa during the next five days, over central India on July 4 and 5, and over northwest India on July 5 and 6.
A cyclonic circulation has formed over Bangladesh and there were also signs of formation of a low pressure area over north Odisha, which could help boost monsoon rains in the region and parts of central India.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
What Is A Tripledemic? Lookout For These Three Viruses That Cause Severe Respiratory Health Issues 7 Anti-Inflammatory Foods You Must Add To Your Daily Diet "Precautionary Measure": Chennai Civic Body Buys 36 Boats Ahead Of Monsoon, Shares Pics Supreme Court Asks About Delhi Construction Ban. Lawyer's Reply Stuns Judge "Go Falcon. Go GSAT-20": SpaceX Successfully Launches Indian Satellite Why Donald Trump's Cabinet Choices Are Giving Pakistan Sleepless Nights Delhi Air Remains Toxic, Dense Fog Lowers Visibility, Trains Delayed FMGE 2024: Edit Window For Foreign Medical Graduate Exam To Open Soon US Boy, 14, Pleads Guilty To Beating, Sexually Assaulting 91-Year-Old Woman Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.