The all-India seasonal rain deficit has come down to 26 per cent as on Wednesday, an India Meteorological Department (IMD) update said.
This is a vast improvement on the 41 per cent deficit a week ago, after enhanced rains along the west coast and central India immediately after.
RAINS FOR EAST
But 24 of the 36 met subdivisions have returned deficient or scanty rains. The rest 12 recorded excess (three subdivisions) rain and nine, normal.
Global models have forecast moderate to heavy rain for east India and east-central India during the week beginning Thursday.
Parts of north coastal Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, east Bihar and Gangetic West Bengal may make gains.
But entire peninsula (except the west coast), west and northwest India are expected to see deficient rain during the period.
Another global forecast for the first week of July show rains racing into entire Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, probably aided by a low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal.
CONVECTIVE CLOUDS
The Konkan coast is also shown to receive rains as part of the reviving monsoon.
Meanwhile, the IMD said on Thursday that the monsoon has advanced into Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Bihar.
Some parts of east Madhya Pradesh and east Uttar Pradesh also received the first few showers of the season.
Satellite pictures showed convective (rain-producing) clouds standing tall over parts of east Uttar Pradesh, east Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Vidarbha.
Clouds also covered east and northeast India, north Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, east-central and southeast Arabian Sea, Comorin area and the Bay of Bengal.
RAIN OUTLOOK
An IMD forecast for the next two days said that rain or thundershowers may break out along the west coast, the Northeastern States, West Bengal, Sikkim, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Orissa.
Rains have also been forecast over east Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, east Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, north Andhra Pradesh, Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Towards west, rains are likely over east Gujarat, Madhya Maharashtra, Marathawada, west Madhya Pradesh and interior south peninsular India.
A heavy rainfall warning is valid for Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and coastal Karnataka during the next two days.