IMD predicts increase in rainfall in most parts of the country

New Delhi, June 19 (UNI) Rainfall over Peninsular India, Konkan, Goa, central Maharashtra, northeastern states, sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim was likely to increase over the next two days, the India Meteorological Department said today.

''Conditions are favourable for strengthening of southwest monsoon activity over the peninsula including Maharashtra within next 2-3 days,'' the IMD said.

The National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting, however, said that though ''conditions may develop for possible revival'' of monsoon over south peninsular India, the ''revival may not be of classical type''.

Meanwhile, rains played hide and seek in many parts of the country plummetting temperature at some places while others wobbled under heat owing to the lack of it.

After a cool weekend which saw mercury record a sharp fall due to a fresh spell of rain and thundershowers, the maximum temperature rose to 38 Degree C in the capital. Weathermen said the coming days are likely to witness a rise in mercury.

Himachal Pradesh witnessed a cool weather with the high altitude areas experiencing intermittent snowfall.

In Uttaranchal, the weather remained cloudy most of the day and temperature hovered around 33.5 degree celsius.

South West monsoon is expected to set in Madhya Pradesh by June 24. While Bhopal got a respite from scorching summer when rainfall lashed the city, some parts of the state continued to reel under blistering heat with temperature above 40 degree C.

West Bengal experienced a very hot and humid climate. There was no trace of rainfall since the last 24 hours and the humidity reached a maximum of 87 per cent and a minimum of 58 per cent.

The overall floods situation in Asom started improving with the receding of water levels of the Brahmaputra, Barak and all other major tributaries. After several days of heavy rainfall and landslides in Manipur, sunshine brought respite to the people.

There was no rainfall for the past 24 hours and was not expected in the coming weeks.

In the west, high speed dust-storms accompanied with rains cooled down temperatures in Rajasthan.

The South- West monsoon has been active in Karnataka. Chennai, however, continued to reel under oppressive heat wave, despite the peak summer season ending in the last week of May.

In the regions where the South-West monsoon is yet to set in, day temperatures were appreciably above normal in Tripura and in some parts of Orissa and East Uttar Pradesh. They were appreciably below normal in Haryana, Punjab and were below normal in Jammu and Kashmir.

UNI Team PR PM1945