Monsoon to hit Delhi in 48 hours: IMD

Southwest Monsoon on Tuesday further advanced in some parts of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Tuesday.

Conditions are also becoming favourable for further advance of the monsoon into the remaining parts of Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Chandigarh, Punjab and Rajasthan "during the subsequent 48 hours."

The weather bureau said that Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand would receive fairly widespread to widespread rainfall activity with isolated heavy to very heavy falls during the next 4-5 days.

"Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is also likely over remaining parts of the western Himalayan Region and the plains of north west India during 24th-25th June," IMD added.

The IMD had earlier said that the country will receive a normal monsoon between June to September.

Monsoon rains are critical for farmers in India as the majority of the country's net-sown area does not have any form of irrigation. Farmers wait for the rains to begin for sowing of crops.