The monsoon has arrived in Uttarakhand, bringing continuous light to moderate rain across the state. As of Thursday, the monsoon has covered all districts except Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar. Although the monsoon is a week later than usual, pre-monsoon showers have been drenching the state since last week.
Heavy Rain Alert Issued
The Meteorological Department has confirmed the arrival of the monsoon and issued an alert for heavy rain in various areas over the next few days. The pattern of light to moderate rains is expected to continue from the mountains to the plains until July 3.
Arrival on Thursday
Moderate to intense showers have been occurring in the hilly areas of Uttarakhand for about a week, with pre-monsoon showers intensifying in places like Dehradun. The monsoon was forecasted to arrive on June 27 or 28, and it officially arrived on Thursday.
According to the Meteorological Center, heavy rain is expected in most parts of the state in the coming days. An alert for heavy rain with thunderstorms has been issued for Uttarkashi, Pithoragarh, Bageshwar, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli. Dehradun, Pauri, Nainital, and Tehri may also experience heavy showers with lightning and thunder. Residents in mountainous areas have been advised to remain vigilant about potential landslides.
Dry Summers, More Rain Predicted
From March 1 to May 31, Uttarakhand experienced 20 percent less rainfall than usual. The beginning of the monsoon season from June 1 was also dry for most areas. However, pre-monsoon showers picked up in the hilly regions in the third week of June, bringing intense showers with thunderstorms and strong winds to many areas.
Bikram Singh, Director of the Meteorological Center, stated that the monsoon has reached the state close to the normal timeline. This year, Uttarakhand is expected to receive about 10 percent more rainfall than usual.
Historical Monsoon Patterns
In the past 16 years, the monsoon has arrived a week late in Uttarakhand four times, becoming active in July for those years. The years 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2017 saw delayed monsoon arrivals. However, in most other years, the monsoon has arrived on time.
Monsoon Arrival in Uttarakhand Over the Last Decade:
– 2014: 01 July
– 2015: 24 June
– 2016: 21 June
– 2017: 01 July
– 2018: 30 June
– 2019: 24 June
– 2020: 23 June
– 2021: 13 June
– 2022: 30 June
– 2023: 23 June
– 2024: 27 June