Monsoon to hit Kerala in next 48 hours: MeT

Chennai: The much-awaited southwest monsoon is expected to hit the Kerala coast in next two days, according to the MeT Department.   Speaking to ANI, K. Balachandran, Director of the regional Met Department, on Tuesday said the onset of monsoon in Kerala will take place by June 9.   "Monsoon onset to Kerala is very likely by June 9. For Tamil Nadu, under convection, rainfall has occurred at few places during the last 24 hours. Thunderstorm is expected to occur in next 24 hours in few coastal places of Tamil Nadu and one or two places of North Tamil Nadu," Balachandran said.   He also added that there are always good signs for the onset of monsoon in Kerala.   The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had earlier said that monsoon should hit the Kerala coast on June 7 with an error margin of plus or minus four days.   The IMD forecast has predicted rainfall over the country as a whole is most likely to be above normal - 104-110 percent of long period average (LPA) - for the 2016 southwest monsoon season from June to September.   As per predictions by the country is set to receive above normal monsoon rains this year with a long period average of 106 percent.   It is said that the El Nino conditions have turned 'neutral to negative' and La Nina conditions are likely to develop in the second half of the monsoon. The monsoon during June-September is likely to be above-normal.