The advancement of the southwest monsoon across Maharashtra has temporarily slowed down due to the absence of strong westerly winds, however the current situation remains within the normal timeline as June 10 is the climatological date for the onset of the monsoon in Pune and Mumbai.At present, the state is not witnessing widespread rainfall associated with an active monsoon system. (HT)An official from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) Pune said, “A variation of one to two days on either side of the normal date is generally considered within the normal range. Therefore, the current pause in monsoon advancement cannot yet be termed a delay.”S D Sanap, senior meteorologist at IMD Pune, said, “The absence of strong westerlies might be responsible for the current halt in monsoon progress. However, this is still within the normal timeline. If the situation remains unchanged for more than 48 hours, it can then be considered a delay in monsoon arrival.”A delay can only be considered if the monsoon fails to make further progress over the next two days; IMD officials said. At present, the state is not witnessing widespread rainfall associated with an active monsoon system.The southwest monsoon entered Maharashtra from the southern region on June 6, covering parts of Sindhudurg district. It advanced further on June 8 into Kolhapur, Satara, Ratnagiri and parts of Solapur district. Since then, there has been no significant progress, with the monsoon maintaining its current position. According to IMD officials, the onset and advancement of the monsoon depend on several meteorological parameters, including the establishment of strong westerly winds and widespread rainfall activity. While favourable wind patterns are gradually developing, widespread rainfall has not yet been reported across the state, limiting further advancement of the monsoon. Although parts of Vidarbha and Marathwada have received rainfall in recent days, weather experts said that these showers are largely pre-monsoon in nature rather than a result of the advancing monsoon current.The latest weather bulletin issued by the IMD on June 10 stated that the northern limit of monsoon (NLM) currently passes through Harnai in Ratnagiri district, Solapur, Kalaburagi, Nandyal, Chennai and Siliguri. The department said conditions remain favourable for further advancement of the southwest monsoon into more parts of the central Arabian Sea, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, remaining parts of Tamil Nadu, and southwest Bay of Bengal over the next three to four days. Meteorologists noted that temporary pauses in monsoon advancement are not uncommon during the onset phase, and do not necessarily indicate a delayed monsoon season. The next few days will be crucial in determining whether the monsoon regains momentum and progresses deeper into Maharashtra.BOXOrange alert issued for heavy rainfall in VidarbhaEven as uncertainty persists over further advancement of the southwest monsoon in Maharashtra, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast rainfall activity across the state between June 11 and 14. Meteorologists said the expected rainfall is largely associated with pre-monsoon weather conditions rather than an active monsoon system.