IMD forecasts partial rains revival in Maharashtra after June 19

PUNE: Heavy showers are likely at least in the ghat areas and dam catchments in parts of the state in the coming week as monsoon is expected to partially revive over Maharashtra after June 19-20, IMD said on Saturday.
Medha Khole, head of the weather forecasting division at India Meteorlogical Department (IMD)-Pune, said the dissipation of an anticyclone that had been weakening the monsoon would pave the way for the westerly winds to strengthen, invigorating the rainfall activity.

“For the ghat areas and dam catchments, we may see a rise in rainfall after around June 21-22. At present, monsoon conditions are weak. During the next four to five days, we expect some advance into more parts of Maharashtra, south Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal and Bihar,” Khole told TOI.
The monsoon has been weak for the last few days in the absence of supportive synoptic systems such as low-pressure areas, depressions or trough off the west coast of India. However, models predict strengthening of monsoon winds over parts of Maharashtra after June 19.
“At about 3 km above mean sea level, there’s a strong anticyclone over central India prohibiting the advance of the monsoon. This anticyclone may dissipate after two to three days and, thereafter, cause further advance. Cross-equatorial winds may also strengthen, which will bring more rainfall. So we expect fairly widespread rains in parts of the state post June 19-20. The intensity of rain will increase along the west coast,” she said.
The monsoon has been stalled since the last three days over peninsular India, while it has been stalled over northeast and east India as far back as May 31 because its Bay of Bengal branch has been weak.
The IMD’s forecast comes as a respite for the state, which has witnessed a sluggish monsoon after the onset. The agriculture department has issued an advisory to farmers to not undertake any more kharif sowing till their areas get at least 70-100 mm rainfall. Sowing operations have started with nearly 5% area already sown.
An agriculture department told TOI, “Maharashtra received good rainfall a few days ago, due to which farmers started kharif sowing. Nearly 6.68 lakh hectare area has been sown so far. Last few days, rainfall has reduced and several places have not received any rainfall. We have advised farmers to refrain from further sowing till a good spell of rain occurs.”
According to an expert from weather blog ‘Vagaries of Weather’, good rains in the dam and ghat areas may not occur until at least June 22. “No good rain in dam and ghats are expected at least till 22 June,” the expert said. For Pune city, the expert predicted scattered short-duration rain on Sunday and Monday.