Rainfall deficit during the ongoing four-month monsoon season has narrowed to 25%, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). Monsoon rainfall shortfall in India reduced to 25% of a 50-year average as the rain carrying winds advanced to more areas, the weather bureau said.

The country received 173.90 millimeters of rainfall between June 1 and July 8, the IMD said on its website. That is less than the 233.30 millimeter average considered normal for the period, it said.

Monsoon, which accounts for 70% of the nation’s annual rainfall, was 14% below normal in the north and north east of the country, 43% below average in the north west, 31% lower in the south peninsula and 26% below normal in central India, the IMD said.

The Northern Limit of Monsoon (NLM) continues to pass through Naliya, Bhuj, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Narnaul, Rohtak, Patiala, Ludhiana and Amritsar, the IMD said in its all-India weather bulletin this morning.

Conditions are favourable for further advance of Southwest Monsoon into some more parts of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab during the next 23 days, the weather bureau said today.

Rainfall occurred at many places over Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Sikkim, Konkan, Goa, coastal Karnataka, Andaman & Nicobar Islands; at a few places over Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Gangetic West Bengal; at one or two places over Punjab, northwest and east Rajasthan, Bihar, Gujarat region, Saurashtra, Lakshadweep, north coastal Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Madhya Maharashtra, south interior Karnataka and Kerala.

Weather remained mainly dry over remaining parts of the country, the IMD said today.

Heavy rainfall would occur at one or two places over Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh during next 24 hours and over Madhya Pradesh and Orissa during next 48 hours, the IMD said.

Major Feature of Weather Forecast up to 0830 hours IST of 12th July, 2012.

Rain/thundershowers would occur at many places over west coast, Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

Rain/thundershowers would occur at many places over Orissa, West Bengal & Sikkim, central and northeast India and at a few places over rest east India.

Rain/thundershowers would occur at a few places over Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and east Rajasthan.

Rain/thundershowers would occur at a few places over Gujarat region, Madhya Maharashtra, Marathawada, Telangana interior Karnataka and coastal Andhra Pradesh.

Rain/thundershowers would occur at one or two places over rest parts of the country.

Weather Outlook for subsequent 4 days up to 0830 hours IST of 16th July.

Rain/thundershowers would occur at many places over west coast, east India, northeastern states and Uttar Pradesh. Rain/thundershowers would also occur at many places over western Himalayan region and at a few places over Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

During the week ended July 4, rainfall over the country as a whole was still 49% below long period average (LPA) with more rainfall over central India and south Peninsula as compared to last week, the IMD said on July 6.

Out of 36 meteorological sub-divisions, rainfall was excess/normal in 09, deficient in 11 and scanty in 16 sub-divisions during the week, the weather office said on Friday.

In area-wise distribution, 21% area of the country received excess/normal rainfall. Remaining 79% area received deficient/scanty rainfall, the IMD said.

The cumulative seasonal rainfall for the country as a whole from 1-30 June has been 29% below LPA with below normal rainfall over the all the four homogenous regions except east & northeast India, where it is near normal, it said.

For the country as a whole, seasonal rainfall during this year’s monsoon has so far up to 04 July been 30% below the LPA.