The fishermen have also been warned not to venture into the sea for the next four days. (Express photo/File)The onset of monsoon over the Kerala coast has finally happened today, a week after its normal date of June 1. In its bulletin at 1 pm Saturday, the IMD said all the conditions for the onset of monsoon over Kerala had been met, and announced that the monsoon had finally set over Kerala.
“Fairly widespread rainfall occurred over Lakshadweep area and parts of Kerala, during the past three days. Westerly winds have strengthened in the lower levels and deepened over the southern latitudes. There is persistent convection from June 3,” the IMD said.
“In view of the enhanced cloudiness, strengthening of westerlies and persistent cyclonic circulation in the lower & mid-levels over Lakshadweep area and neighbourhood, the Southwest monsoon has further advanced into some more parts of South Arabian Sea, most parts of Lakshadweep area, some parts of Kerala & south Tamil Nadu, remaining parts of Comorin – Maldives area, some more parts of Southwest, Southeast & East-central Bay of Bengal and some parts of Northeast Bay of Bengal,” the bulletin said.
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“Thus the Southwest monsoon has set in over Kerala, today, the 8th June 2019, against the normal date of 1st June,” it said.
The onset of monsoon over the Kerala coast marks the arrival of monsoon rains over the Indian mainland and signals the beginning of the four-month rainy season which brings over 70 per cent of the country’s annual rainfall.
The onset is late by almost a week from its normal date of June 1. Its progress however is expected to be sluggish. @IndianExpress @amitabhsin
— Partha Biswas (@parthasbiswas) June 8, 2019
After arriving in Kerala on June 1, the monsoon takes about a month and a half to cover the entire country. The delayed onset means that many parts of the country, up to central Indian region, were also likely to receive monsoon late, but the northern and eastern regions are still likely to get rains on their normal dates.
The IMD said in the next two days many parts of southern India will start getting monsoon rains.
“Conditions are favourable for further advance of the southwest monsoon into remaining parts of south Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep area and Kerala, some more parts of Tamil Nadu, southwest, southeast, east-central and north-east Bay of Bengal, and some parts of central Arabian Sea and west-central Bay of Bengal during the next 48 hours,” it said.
