According to a statement issued by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday, the South West monsoon is "very likely" to hit Kerala on June 9 following favourable conditions.

"In view of the strengthening of cross-equatorial flow and deepening of westerlies over the South Arabian sea and development of feeble off-shore trough along the Karnataka-Kerala coast, the onset of (southwest) monsoon over Kerala is very likely by June 9," IMD said in its mid-day bulletin.

Meanwhile, rains lashed many parts of Tamil Nadu on Monday. Summer rains accompanied with lightning and thunder were witnessed in many parts of the state with Sembarambakkam  recording the highest rainfall of five cms, followed by Chennai with four cms.

The weather office also made a rain forecast at a few places in south Tamil Nadu and over one or two places in the northern parts of the state for the next 48 hours.

Thunderstorms were likely in Chennai during this period, it warned.