New Delhi, Jul 2 (IANS): The India Meteorological Department (IMD) announced on Tuesday that the southwest monsoon has now covered the entire country, six days ahead of the normal date.

"The southwest monsoon has further advanced into the remaining parts of Rajasthan, Haryana, and Punjab today. Thus, it covered the entire country on 2nd July 2024, against the normal date of July 8," IMD said.

The weather office had forecast on Monday that the country is likely to get above-average rainfall in July as the monsoon has picked up momentum.

The monsoon arrived early over Kerala and the northeast on May 30, but its progress slowed over Maharashtra. This resulted in scorching heat waves in northwest India and prolonged dry conditions in West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.

"The country recorded 16 days of below-normal rainfall activity from June 11 to June 27 which led to overall below-normal precipitation," said IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra.

The monsoon plays a key role in the Indian economy as close to 50 per cent of the country's farmland does not have any other source of irrigation. The monsoon rains are also crucial for recharging the country’s reservoirs and aquifers from which the water can be used later in the year to irrigate crops.

The IMD also said that the “active monsoon condition” is very likely over Northwest, East & Northeast India during the next 4-5 days.

It has forecast isolated heavy rainfall very likely over Delhi, Haryana, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and East Rajasthan on July 6.

*Widespread light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, and lightning with heavy to very heavy rainfall very likely over Northeast India, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, and Sikkim and scattered to fairly widespread rainfall over East India during the next five days.

*Fairly widespread to widespread light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning very likely over Kerala and Mahe, Lakshadweep, coastal Karnataka, Konkan and Goa, Gujarat; scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall over Madhya Maharashtra, coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam, and interior Karnataka; isolated to scattered light to moderate rainfall over Marathwada, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, Rayalaseema, Telangana during next five days," the IMD forecast said.