The monsoon has covered the entire country, 17 days ahead of its normal onset date, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Friday. The monsoon has reached Sriganganagar, its last outpost in the country located in west Rajasthan. Its normal date to reach Sriganganagar was July 15.

“The monsoon on Friday covered the entire country,” Additional Director General Mritunjay Mohapatra said. It usually covers the entire country by July 1, but west Rajasthan gets rains later, he said. But this year, due to good easterly rains, it has taken the monsoon to the entire country early, Mohapatra added. The four-month monsoon season normally begins from June 1 and ends on September 30. This year, monsoon touched Kerala on May 29, three days ahead of its normal onset date of June 1.