The India Meteorological Department had on Friday said that monsoon is moving rapidly and is a week ahead of its schedule.

The department said that the monsoon will cover the entire country before the slated date of July 15.

It added that the country will receive 101 per cent of the long-term average rainfall in July and 96 per cent in August.

For the country as a whole, Monsoon has been 28 per cent excess since its onset over Kerala on 1st June.

Pre monsoon showers in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh

Meanwhile, most places in Punjab on Saturday received moderate to heavy rains while a few places in Haryana also received pre-monsoon showers.

Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala and Gurdaspur were among the places that received heavy rains.

Chandigarh, which had an overcast sky on Saturday, was lashed by 16.1 mm of rains.

In Haryana, Bhiwani, Panchkula, Ambala and Kalka were among those places which received showers.

The pre-monsoon showers during the past three days in the region have caused a dip in temperatures and bringing cheer to the farmers.

The power situation in the state has also improved.