What is in news : The progress of the monsoon has stalled since June 19, leaving many parts of the country experiencing deficient rainfall. This monsoon “break” is likely to continue till the second week of July, as is the heatwave currently affecting parts of north western and central India, according to IMD

Details :

Mid-latitude westerly winds, an unfavourable Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) and the absence of the formation of low-pressure systems over the north Bay of Bengal are some of the reasons why the progress of the monsoons has stalled

What is a break in monsoon : A rainless interval in monsoon season is called a break. The monsoon rains take place only for a few days at a time. They are interspersed with rainless intervals. These breaks in monsoon are related to the movement of the monsoon trough.

Heat Wave

• A heat wave is a period of abnormally high temperatures, more than the normal maximum temperature that occurs during the summer season in the North-Western and South Central parts of India.
• Heat waves typically occur between March and June, and in some rare cases even extend till July.
• Higher daily peak temperatures and longer, more intense heat waves are becoming increasingly frequent globally due to climate change.