New Delhi:
Monsoon has hit parts of Andaman and Nicobar islands and is expected to reach Kerala by June one and Delhi by June 29.
"Conditions continue to remain favourable for further advance of southwest monsoon into some more parts of south Bay of Bengal and remaining parts of Andaman Sea during next 48 hours," the weather office said on Thursday.
It said the south west monsoon had arrived in the Andaman Sea and southeast Bay of Bengal on Wednesday covering Great Nicobar and Car Nicobar islands.
The weatherman cited the strengthening cross-equatorial flow, persistent cloudiness and fairly widespread rainfall as conditions favourable for further march of the seasonal rains.
The seasonal rains are now expected to make steady progress towards the mainland, bringing showers to the Kerala coast by June 1. Delhi may get monsoon rains by June 29.
In April, Government had predicted a normal monsoon for the third consecutive year.
Monsoon is crucial for kharif crops such as rice, cotton, soyabean and maize because almost 60 per cent of the farm land in the country is rainfed.
India is estimated to have harvested a record 252.56 million tonnes of foodgrains in the 2011-12 crop year as against 244.78 million tonnes in the previous year.
"Conditions continue to remain favourable for further advance of southwest monsoon into some more parts of south Bay of Bengal and remaining parts of Andaman Sea during next 48 hours," the weather office said on Thursday.
It said the south west monsoon had arrived in the Andaman Sea and southeast Bay of Bengal on Wednesday covering Great Nicobar and Car Nicobar islands.
The weatherman cited the strengthening cross-equatorial flow, persistent cloudiness and fairly widespread rainfall as conditions favourable for further march of the seasonal rains.
The seasonal rains are now expected to make steady progress towards the mainland, bringing showers to the Kerala coast by June 1. Delhi may get monsoon rains by June 29.
In April, Government had predicted a normal monsoon for the third consecutive year.
Monsoon is crucial for kharif crops such as rice, cotton, soyabean and maize because almost 60 per cent of the farm land in the country is rainfed.
India is estimated to have harvested a record 252.56 million tonnes of foodgrains in the 2011-12 crop year as against 244.78 million tonnes in the previous year.
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