Skymet Predicts Dismal Monsoon Conditions for India in Next Four Weeks

Private forecasting agency Skymet Weather has predicted a bleak monsoon in India over the next four weeks, raising concerns about the impact on agriculture. The Extended Range Prediction System (ERPS) is projecting a dismal outlook for the next four weeks until July 6. The central and western parts of India, which form the core monsoon zone, may face challenges in coping with the drying effects due to inadequate rainfall early in the season, Skymet Weather said. The southwest monsoon reached Kerala on June 8, a week after the usual date of June 1. Cyclone Biparjoy in the Arabian Sea first delayed the monsoon onset over Kerala and is now impeding the advance of the rain-bearing system, preventing it from reaching the interior regions of the peninsula, the private agency said. While monsoon rains usually cover Maharashtra, Odisha, and half of Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Bihar by June 15, the monsoon stream is still grappling to settle over these areas. Unfortunately, there are no signs of weather systems emerging over the Bay of Bengal in the near future, which are crucial drivers of the monsoon. The agricultural heartland is looking cracked and parched, which coincides with the crucial time of sowing.