In its latest forecast the IMD said that southwest monsoon has advanced further into several parts of central and northern India, while favourable conditions are likely to help it cover Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and other northwestern states over the next two to three days.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that people living in parts of North India can expect the southwest monsoon to advance further over the next two to three days. In a post on X, the weather department said conditions remain favourable for the monsoon to move into more parts of northern states, bringing widespread rainfall to several areas. 

According to the IMD, the southwest monsoon made further progress on June 30, covering more parts of Madhya Pradesh, the remaining areas of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Bihar, along with parts of Uttar Pradesh, most of Uttarakhand, and parts of Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh. 

With this latest advance, the monsoon has now covered most parts of southern, central and eastern India. 

Where has the monsoon reached so far?
The IMD said the monsoon reached Kerala on June 4 and later spread steadily across the country. 

Kerala-June 4
West Bengal-June 12 
Maharashtra-Around June 23 
Bihar and Jharkhand-Around June 23 
Parts of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and HImachal Pradesh-By the end of June 
The weather department said the monsoon is now continuing its northward journey and is expected to cover more areas in the coming days. 

What is El Nino? 
El Nino is a natural climate phenomenon that occurs when sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean become warmer than normal. 

This warming changes global wind patterns and atmospheric circulation, affecting weather conditions across the world. It can influence rainfall, temperatures and storms even in regions thousands of kilometres away. 

The opposite phase is called La Nina, which is marked by cooler Pacific Ocean waters and usually helps strengthen the Indian monsoon. 

How does El Nino affect India’s monsoon? 
El Nino has often had an impact on India’s monsoon. According to the Ministry of Earth Sciences, India has experienced 16 El Nino years since 1950. Out of these, seven saw below-normal monsoon rainfall. 

Experts say the effects of El Nino are becoming more noticeable because of global warming, which is increasing temperatures and making rainfall patterns more unpredictable. Some weather experts have described the developing event as a possible “Super El Nino”. While this is not an official scientific term, it is commonly used to describe exceptionally strong El Nino events. 

The term is being used this year because several weather models suggest sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean could rise well above normal, making the event stronger than a typical El Nino.