Southwest Monsoon Arrives in Kerala, Promises Rain Relief Across India

The India Meteorological Department has confirmed the onset of the Southwest Monsoon in Kerala, marking the start of a four-month rainy season. Despite a slight delay, the monsoon is making rapid progress across India, with predictions of heavy rainfall in several states over the coming days.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) officially declared the arrival of the Southwest Monsoon over Kerala on Thursday, ushering in the eagerly anticipated four-month rainy season. This marks a significant reprieve from the sweltering heatwave that had gripped the region. Notably, the monsoon's onset, typically expected by June 1, occurred on June 4 this year, just a three-day delay.

The monsoon has swiftly covered the entire Lakshadweep islands, Kerala, and Mahe, and has also advanced into remaining parts of the Southwest and Southeast Arabian Sea. As conditions remain conducive, the IMD forecasts the monsoon to extend into additional regions, including parts of the central Arabian Sea, Goa, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and several parts of the Bay of Bengal, as well as some northeastern states in the upcoming days.

The IMD reports that India is likely to experience 90% of the long-period average rainfall this year. Recent observations indicated increased convective cloudiness over the Southeast Arabian Sea, with the depth of westerlies reaching up to 4.5 km above mean sea level, and wind speeds ranging from 20-25 knots. Kerala has already received widespread rainfall, with isolated areas experiencing significant downpours over the past two days. The IMD predicts that Kerala will continue to see heavy to very heavy rainfall in the coming week, with Tamil Nadu and Karnataka also likely to receive considerable precipitation. Meanwhile, Delhi saw a minimum temperature of 29.7 degrees Celsius on Thursday, prompting a yellow alert for rain and thunderstorms.