Southwest Monsoon arrives in Kerala; IMD issues heavy rain alerts across Southern and Northeastern States
The Southwest Monsoon officially set in over Kerala on June 4, arriving three days later than its normal onset date of June 1. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) clarified that the delay falls within the standard deviation range and does not indicate any unusual monsoon behaviour.
The weather department has forecast isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall ranging from 7 cm to 20 cm across Kerala and Karnataka until June 11. Tamil Nadu is also expected to receive heavy rainfall during the same period, while northeastern states are likely to witness continued heavy to very heavy precipitation over the next five days.
In Kerala, persistent rainfall has led to waterlogging and flooding in several low-lying areas. The IMD has issued an orange alert for seven districts — Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Kasaragod. Thunderstorms accompanied by strong winds reaching up to 40 kmph are also likely in these regions.
Meanwhile, rainfall activity has expanded to other parts of the country. Rajasthan witnessed showers in several districts, with Dungargarh in Bikaner recording the highest rainfall. In Delhi, the IMD has issued a yellow alert, forecasting light rain, thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds of up to 60 kmph, with daytime temperatures expected to remain between 36°C and 38°C.
According to IMD Director General Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, the monsoon's arrival remains within the normal variability range. Weather experts expect rainfall activity to intensify further as the monsoon advances across more parts of the country in the coming days.
