Good rainfall activity expected next week: IMD

New Delhi: Rainfall activity in central and south India is likely to pick up pace from next week due to a cyclonic circulation which is likely to form over the Bay of Bengal and aid in the progress of the monsoon, the India Meteorological Department said on Friday.

IMD director general Mrutunjay Mohapatra said a low pressure area is likely to form over the Bay of Bengal and move towards Odisha next week.

A low pressure is a cyclonic circulation and the first stage of any cyclone. However, it is not necessary that every low pressure intensifies into a cyclone.

This will help advance monsoon and bring good rainfall during the next week, Mohapatra said.

Monsoon had hit Kerala on June 1 on its normal onset date. The IMD had earlier predicted that the monsoon would be delayed by four days, but Cyclone Nisarga helped push the monsoon to reach Kerala on its normal onset date.

Conditions are becoming favourable for further advancement of Southwest Monsoon into some more parts of central Arabian Sea, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, southwest and east central Bay of Bengal, entire southeast Bay of Bengal and some parts of west central Bay of Bengal during next 2 days, the IMD said.

According to the IMD, the country as a whole has received 9 per cent more rainfall than the normal since June 1.

The north Indian plains will also witness rainfall due to a western disturbance, the IMD said.

A western disturbance is a cyclonic circulation that originates in the Mediterranean Sea. It crosses central Asia and brings in rains to hills and north Indian plains after it comes in contact with the Himalayas.

East Uttar Pradesh and east Rajasthan are also likely to witness rainfall, the IMD added.