Southwest monsoon arrives in Gujarat four days early this year: IMD

The southwest monsoon had an early onset in Gujarat on Tuesday with its northern limit passing through Navsari district in southern part of the state, an India Meteorological Department (IMD) official said.

The monsoon usually arrives in Gujarat by June 15, said Ramashray Yadav, scientist at IMD Ahmedabad. "All the districts are expected to experience light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorms in the next two days," he added.

Several districts received rainfall ranging from 1-40 mm in isolated areas in 24 hours ending 6 am on Tuesday, the Gandhinagar-based State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) said.
 

Santrampur in Mahisagar district and Morva Hadaf in Panchmahal received the highest 40 and 27 mm rainfall during this period, the SEOC said. Light thunderstorm with lightning and surface wind of 30- 40 kmph (in gust) accompanied by light rain was very likely at isolated places in all the districts, the IMD said in its forecast.

The IMD has already said that India is likely to experience normal rainfall (92-108 percent of long period average of 166.9 mm) in June.