Slight delay in onset of monsoon over Kerala; arrival likely on Jun 4: IMD
New Delhi: A slight delay is expected in the onset of the southwest monsoon over Kerala and it is likely to arrive by June 4, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Tuesday.
The southwest monsoon normally sets in over Kerala on June 1, with a standard deviation of about 7 days.
“This year, the southwest monsoon onset over Kerala is likely to be slightly delayed. The monsoon onset over Kerala is likely to be on June 4 with a model error of 4 days,” the Met office said in a statement. The monsoon arrived in the southern state on May 29 last year, June 3 in 2021 and June 1 in 2020.
“Cross equatorial flow over southern parts of South Arabian Sea and over the Bay of Bengal is likely to increase gradually favouring further advance of southwest monsoon over some more parts of South Arabian sea, MaldivesÂ, Comorin area, southwest, southeast and central Bay of Bengal during next 24 hours.
“An eastÂwest shear zone at 3.1 kilometres above mean sea level is very likely to develop across extreme south peninsula from tomorrow onwards leading to favourable conditions for onset of southwest monsoon over Kerala during the subsequent 72 hours,” it said.
Earth Sciences Minister Harsh Vardhan had also indicated that monsoon could hit the Kerala coast on June 6-7.
Several parts of the country are reeling under severe heat waves with temperatures touching 50 degree Celsius in some parts.
Vardhan said monsoon is likely to be 96 per cent of the Long Period Average (LPA), which falls on the border line of normal and below normal category.
