Photo: Reuters
As southwest monsoon hits some parts of Southern India, including Kerala and Karnataka, people in the western coastal region are breathing a sigh of relief after days of scorching heat. The southwest monsoon hit Kerala on May 28, marking its arrival three days before its scheduled time for the second consecutive year.
According to the India Meteorological Department's earlier estimates, the monsoon was supposed to hit the coastal areas of Kerala on June 1. Experts believe the normal and 'early monsoon' would benefit kharif crop production in the country. The southwest monsoon enters India from two directions - - from Sri Lanka towards Kerala and from the Bay of Bengal towards North Eastern states. Southwest monsoon contributes to around 70 per cent of the country's rainfall, and is considered to be a bloodline for the country's vast $2.5 trillion economy.
As per the IMD estimates, the monsoon covered most areas of Kerala and South Tamil Nadu on May 29. Before that, it hit coastal the areas of Sri Lanka on May 25-26. Contrary to the IMD estimates, the monsoon reached Kerala earlier than expected due to lower depression in the Arabian Sea, causing heavy rainfall conditions in Kerala and Karnataka. Other states could also get relief soon, say the IMD experts, adding the overall picture about the monsoon speed, though, would be clear once the situation in the Arabian Sea normalises in the next four-five days.
"Today, the southwest monsoon has further advanced into remaining parts of southeast Arabian Sea, Comorin Maldives area, entire Lakshadweep, most parts of Kerala, some parts of Tamil Nadu and some more parts of southwest, central and northeast Bay of Bengal. Thus, the southwest monsoon has set in over Kerala, today, the 29th May 2018, three days ahead of its normal date," the IMD said.
From May 30-June 1
The Meteorological Department has said the monsoon would hit central Arabian Sea, rest of Kerala, south and coastal Karnataka, and the Bay of Bengal between May 30 and June 1. Due to the consistent lower depression in the Arabian Sea, some parts of Central India, Western Coast and Northern India would experience strong winds and drizzling. Till June 1, the monsoon would cover the state of Kerala, costal Karnataka, sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura.
Besides, northern parts of the country could also experience strong and gusty winds with thunderstorm. "Thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds very likely at isolated places over Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Bihar and sub Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim," the weather body had said on Tuesday.
From June 2-June 3
The IMD has predicted that between June 2 and June 3, the monsoon would cover the areas of sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam and Meghalaya with heavy rainfall in the Northern States. In the meantime, some parts of Uttar Pradesh would also experience strong windstorms and drizzling.
From June 4-June 6
The southwest monsoon would cover the entire south India, including Andaman Nicobar, central India, low-level areas of northern India and Western Himalaya till June 6. These areas would experience see heavy rainfall in the first week of June.