The Southwest monsoon made its onset over Kerala on Thursday after a delay of two days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The monsoon onset over Kerala marks the commencement of the four-month rainfall season in the country. The Southwest Monsoon has made an onset over southern parts of Kerala, said IMD Director General Mrutunjay Mohapatra. The usual onset date for southwest monsoon over Kerala is June 1.
"Conditions are favourable for onset of Southwest monsoon over Kerala today, June 3, 2021," said IMD. It also said that more than 60% of the 14 rainfall monitoring stations reported rainfall of 2.5 mm or more in the past two days consecutively and the spatial distribution of rainfall over Kerala remained fairly widespread during the past two days.It also said that the Southwest Monsoon is likely to advance into remaining parts of south Arabian sea, rest of Kerala and Lakshadweep, south interior Karnataka, Rayalaseema (Andhra Pradesh) and central Bay of Bengal in the next two days.
IMD had earlier forecast that India will receive normal to above normal rainfall during the Southwest monsoon. “There will be normal to above normal rainfall over the northwest, central and south peninsular India. Whereas, east and northeast India will experience below normal rainfall during June to September this year,” IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra had said recently.
Between March 1 and May 31, Kerala received a large excess of pre-monsoon rainfall, recording 750.9mm as against the normal of 361.5mm rainfall - a departure of 108%.
The recent cyclones Tauktae and Yass had also brought heavy rains in part of the state, with many coastal villages witnessing intense coastal erosion. Experts warned that Kerala could possibly experience flooding during the monsoon if it rains heavily for a day or two.
Meanwhile, IMD has predicted widespread rainfall and thunderstorms with heavy rainfall in isolated places over northeast India from June 8 to June 10. Scattered rainfall and thunderstorms with isolated heavy rainfall is also likely over south peninsular India and oslands, as well as over Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and east, central and west India. Weather is likely to be dry over remaining parts of the country, IMD report added.
(With inputs from agencies)