New Delhi, June 15
Monsoon this year has broken a 108-year record by arriving in the national capital 14 days ahead of the scheduled date of June 29.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD), which declared the onset of monsoon in Delhi today, said the southwest monsoon had advanced into most parts of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana.

As of now, the northern limit of monsoon is passing through Mount Abu, Bhilwara, Sawai Madhopur, Agra, Delhi and Sriganganagar, and conditions are favourable for its advancement into the remaining parts of the country during the next two to three days, informed IMD director S.C. Bhan.

A low pressure area has also been created over North Bay of Bengal and enhanced rainfall is likely over east India during next three to four days.

Current meteorological analysis also suggests widespread rainfall over western Himalayan region and northern plains during the next three days.

Notably, advancement of monsoon this year has been quite spectacular. It set in over south Andaman Sea on May 10, around five days ahead of schedule.

Moving smoothly, it set in over Kerala on May 31, a day before the scheduled date of June 1, and advanced rapidly, covering parts of south peninsula and entire northeastern states by June 2.

Reaching Mumbai on June 7, three days ahead of the normal date of June 10, monsoon maintained its rapid northward progression along the west coast and reached southern parts of Gujarat on June 10, five days before schedule.

The northward advance of monsoon over east and central India was near its normal time and by June 12, it had covered West Bengal, Sikkim, Orissa, Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, parts of east Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. In the Peninsula, it has covered entire Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra.

The monsoon has hit Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, parts of Haryana and Punjab on June 13, almost 10 to 12 days in advance. As compared to last year, the rains this year have been good and well distributed.