Monsoon progress stalls in Maharashtra due to weak winds

The advancement of the monsoon season has faced a setback in Maharashtra's North Konkan region, including Mumbai, due to weak westerly and south-westerly winds.

Last week, the monsoon reached Ratnagiri. Normally, it takes approximately 48 hours for the monsoon to reach Mumbai from Ratnagiri under favourable weather conditions. However, due to the feeble westerly and south-westerly winds, the monsoon has been stalled in Ratnagiri for nearly a week.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) sources told CNBCTV-18 that the current situation is unfavourable for further monsoon advancement in the North Konkan region. "The situation as of now is not favorable for further advancement of monsoon in North Konkan region. Strong westerly and south-westerly winds are required for the advancement of monsoon. There are westerly and south-westerly winds in the region, but not strong enough to pull the monsoon towards the North Konkan, Mumbai region."

The intermittent spells of rain that are occurring can be attributed to an inward-moving cyclone that is creating some moisture. However, there is a scarcity of clouds in the region, and the interior parts of Maharashtra are not experiencing any rainfall, indicating that the rain spells in the North Konkan coastal region are not a result of monsoon advancement.

Sources indicate that based on the current weather conditions, it is likely that North Konkan and Mumbai will witness rain showers towards the end of June or the beginning of July, leading to a significant rainfall deficit in Maharashtra for the month of June.

Last week Sunil Kamble, IMD head, Mumbai region,, told CNBCTV-18, "There is a chance that Maharashtra will witness a rain deficit of 20-30 percent in June."

June is a crucial month for the agriculture sector as it is the sowing season. Farmers depend on monsoons for sowing and a delayed monsoon will result in a delayed sowing season, interfering with the overall harvest cycle. For the farmers of Maharashtra, who have yet to recover from the massive losses caused by the heatwave in 2022 and unseasonal rains in 2023, this monsoon is extremely crucial and the delay is making matters worse.