Monsoon likely to hit Jharkhand within 48 hours: MeT

The southwest monsoon is likely to hit Jharkhand within 48 hours, weather officials said on Thursday.

Parts of Jharkhand are experiencing a change in weather with cloudy sky and light to moderate rainfall from Wednesday, which makes conditions favourable for further advancement of the monsoon, officials said.

The normal date for monsoon onset in Jharkhand is June 10. It, however, hit Jharkhand between June 12 and June 25 since 2010, according to the monsoon onset record of Ranchi Meteorological Centre.

In 2021, the monsoon broke in Jharkhand on June 12. The state recorded 1043.4 mm rainfall against the normal average rainfall of 1054.7 mm in four-month of the season from June-1 to September 30 last year, officials said.

“Conditions seem favourable for further advancement of southwest monsoon in Jharkhand. But, there are certain parameters that need to be satisfied to declare monsoon onset. In Jharkhand and neighbouring states like Bihar and West Bengal, the parameters are yet to be fulfilled,” said Abhishek Anand, in-charge of Ranchi Meteorological Centre.

He added, “We are expecting monsoon to hit Jharkhand within 48 hours, which means by Saturday.” Rainfall deficiency is rising with delay in the onset. The state has recorded a rainfall deficiency by 60 per cent between June 1 and June 16. Barring two districts that received normal rainfall, 15 districts have received large deficient and six districts deficient rainfall during the period. One district (Garhwa) received no rainfall till now this month, weather officials said.

According to the weather bulletin of Thursday, Jharkhand is likely to see fairly widespread rainfall with light to moderate showers in most parts of the state between June 16 and June 20.

Anand, however, alerted for lightning activity during the period. “Lightning activities generally increase during the onset of monsoon. Therefore, people need to be alert and protected,” he said.