Pre-monsoon rainfall lowers mercury level

PANAJI: Pre-monsoon showers provided much-needed relief to people from the scorching heat in various parts of the state.
Light to moderate rain and thundershowers took place in parts of Goa late evening on Friday. Light to moderate thunderstorms accompanied with lightning, thunder and winds gusting to around 40 kmph were also experienced at a few places in the state.
Even as the state enters the second week of June, Goa is yet to see the arrival of the Southwest monsoon due to a delay on monsoon onset. The maximum temperature recorded on Friday was 35.8°C, which is 3.8 degrees C above normal value.
The southwest monsoon which arrived in Kerala on June 8 after a seven-day delay, has made further progress in the Arabian Sea and is expected to have onset over Goa by next week.
Conditions are also favourable for further advance of Southwest monsoon into some more parts of central Arabian Sea, remaining parts of Kerala, some more parts of Tamil Nadu, some parts of Karnataka and some more parts of southwest, Central and northeast Bay of Bengal and some parts of northeastern states during next few hours.
Meanwhile, the very severe cyclonic storm Biparjoy has moved slowly north-northeastwards with a speed of 6 kmph and lay centered on the west of Goa on Friday night. It is likely to intensify further gradually during and move nearly north-northeastwards during next 48 hours and north-northwestwards during subsequent three days.
Total suspension of fishing operations have therefore been advised by weather experts over the eastcentral and adjoining westcentral Arabian Sea till June 13 and north and adjoining central Arabian Sea from June 12 to 14.