The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the southwest monsoon on Sunday covered the entire country six days before the normal date of July 8., as it advanced in the remaining parts of Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana.

On Friday, the IMD had said the monsoon is expected to be normal in July across the country, barring parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh and south Bihar.

As many as 16 states and Union territories received deficient rainfall in June, with Bihar and Kerala reporting large deficits at 69% and 60% below normal, respectively.

“The monthly rainfall averaged over the country as a whole during July 2023 is most likely to be normal (94 to 106% of LPA) and most probably within the positive side of the normal,” IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra had said on Friday.

The long-period average (LPA) of rainfall over the country during July based on the data of 1971-2020 is about 280.4 mm.