Kerala To Get First Monsoon Rainfall On May 27, Five Days Ahead Of Schedule, Says IMD

The early arrival of the south-west monsoon comes at a time when parts of north-west India are experiencing extremely high maximum temperatures.

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New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday said the south-west monsoon, considered the lifeline of the country’s agri-based economy, is likely to bring first showers to Kerala by May 27. “This year, the onset of southwest monsoon over Kerala is likely to be earlier than the normal date of onset. The monsoon onset over Kerala is likely to be on May 27 with a model error of four days,” the weather office said, PTI reported. The south-west monsoon had reached Kerala on May 23 earlier in 2009.

The early arrival of the south-west monsoon comes at a time when parts of north-west India are experiencing extremely high maximum temperatures.

The weather scientists, according to the news agency, attribute the early onset of southwest monsoon over the southern state of Kerala to the influence of the remnants of cyclone Asani, which triggered the cross-equatorial flow - a key factor for the seasonal rains.

Earlier on Thursday, the IMD had forecast the onset of south-west monsoon over Andaman and Nicobar islands on May 15.

The weather office said fairly widespread to widespread light/moderate rainfall is very likely over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands during the next five days.

“In association with enhanced cross equatorial winds, conditions are becoming favorable for the advance of Southwest Monsoon into South Andaman Sea, Nicobar Islands and some parts of southeast Bay of Bengal around May 15,” the IMD said in a statement, according to the news agency.

The weather office also made it clear that past data suggest there is no association of the date of monsoon advance over the Andaman Sea either with the date of monsoon onset over Kerala or with the seasonal monsoon rainfall over the country.

The IMD said fairly widespread light/moderate rainfall with isolated thunderstorm/lightning/gusty winds will likely take place over Kerala, Mahe, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, south interior Karnataka and Lakshadweep over the next five days due to strong westerly flow from Arabian Sea to south peninsular India in lower tropospheric levels.