The India Meteorological Department said (IMD) on Tuesday said the south-west monsoon, which brings over 70 per cent rainfall to India, has hit Kerala, three days ahead of its normal arrival date. But heatwave conditions are expected to continue across North India and the sweltering weather is likely to persist in parts of West Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Chandigarh and Delhi.
In Delhi, the monsoon is now expected to reach by July 1. “Widespread rainfall occurred over Kerala during the past three-four days. The 14 rainfall monitoring stations for Monsoon onset over Kerala have reported more than 60 per cent rainfall since May 25,” the IMD said.
The IMD stated that the low pressure will turn into a depression in the next 12 hours. June 1 is the official onset date for arrival of monsoon in the country and it takes more than a month-and-half to cover the entire country.
“The next stage forecast about region-wise distribution will be announced in the next few days or first week of June,” said M Mohapatra, head of National Weather Forecasting Centre at IMD.
The monsoon forecast about geographical distribution of rainfall will also include month-wise distribution during June to September period.2018 is the second consecutive year in the last five years that the monsoon has marked its arrival earlier than expected. last year, the monsoon had arrived on May 30 as predicted by the Government’s weather department.
However, it had recorded a delay in 2014, 2015 and 2016. IMD officials, however, said that there was no precise co-relation between the early onsets of monsoon, over the quantity of rainfall.
The onset of monsoon was marked by widespread rainfall over Kerala in the past 3-4 days. The 14 rainfall monitoring stations for monsoon onset over Kerala have reported more than 60% rainfall since 25 May.
“The south-west monsoon has further advanced into remaining parts of southeast Arabian Sea, Comorin-Maldives area, entire lakshadweep, most parts of Kerala, some parts of Tamil Nadu and some more parts of southwest, central and northeast Bay of Bengal,” said IMD.
There was a marked low pressure area existing over southeast and adjoining east-central Arabian Sea off north Kerala-Karnataka coasts and another well marked low pressure area lies over east central and adjoining northeast Bay of Bengal.
“It is likely to concentrate into a depression during next 12 hours,” stated IMD.
While there has been persistent cloudiness over the coast, westerly winds have also strengthened by more than 30 knots in the lower levels and deepened with westerly/ west-southwesterly winds upto 4.5km over the south Arabian Sea on Tuesday morning, creating a low pressure area.
The IMD highlighted that the conditions are favourable for further advance of the monsoon into some parts of Central Arabian Sea, remaining parts of Kerala, some parts of coastal and south-interior Karnataka, some more parts of east-central and north-east Bay of Bengal and some parts of north-eastern states in the next 48 hours.