India Met Department (IMD) has declared a series of ‘orange’ and ‘yellow’ alerts in Kerala on Sunday and Monday (June 9 and 10) indicating the possibility of heavy to very heavy rain ahead of monsoon onset.

The ‘orange alert’ is valid on Sunday for the southern districts of Kollam and Alappuzha, with isolated heavy to very rain (between 11.5 cm and 20 cm), a special bulletin issued by the local office of the IMD said.

Violent weather

Both the public and the state government machinery need to be watchful and take appropriate steps to mitigate the harsh impact from the violent weather during the notified days.

‘Yellow alert’ indicating prospects of isolated heavy rain has been declared for today (Friday) for Kozhikode; and tomorrow (Saturday) for Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha and Ernakulam.

‘Yellow alert’ is valid on Sunday for Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur and Malappuram districts indicating the possibility of isolated heavy rain during these days.

As for Monday, the ‘yellow alert’ is applicable for the districts of Pathanamthitta, Idukki, Thrissur, Kozhikode and Wayanad.

These alerts could upgraded later in tune with any changes with the forecast weather.

All relevant state departments and officials have been directed to be in a state of preparedness and to open control rooms at the taluk-level in the notified areas.

The State Disaster Management Agency is expected to come out later today with a detailed circular to the officials, departments and the general public delineating required steps to be taken in this connection.

‘Low’ forecast on

The alerts have come in the context of the expected formation of a low-pressure area off the Kerala and Karnataka coasts along with an offshore trough from the Maharashtra to Kerala coasts.

As for today, the IMD has forecast squally weather with winds with speeds reaching 45 km/hr over the South-West Arabian Sea off the Somali coast from where the monsoon winds turn in towards the Kerala coast.

As for tomorrow and day after, the squally weather will extend to the South-East Arabian Sea and adjoining Maldives-Comorin and along and off the Kerala coast.

Fishermen are advised not to venture into these areas.

The East-West shear zone of monsoon winds and turbulence runs roughly across the Lakshadweep-Maldives-Comorin area. It would shift northwards gradually.

In addition, the offshore trough is expected to develop by tomorrow off the Maharashtra coast to Kerala coast. These conditions would help facilitate the onset of the monsoon over Kerala during next two days.

Conditions may turn favourable for the advance of the monsoon into some parts of the North-Eastern States during the next two to three days.