The southwestern monsoon, which had made a temporary withdrawal from Kerala almost a month ago, has become active again. According to scientists at the Thiruvananthapuram unit of the Indian Meteorological Department, the State could be receiving heavy showers through the coming one week.
Though over three weeks are remaining for the withdrawal of the southwestern monsoon, the State has already received 24 percent rainfall in excess of the expected normal. Weathermen expect the trend to continue through the remaining days of the southwestern monsoon and also during the northeastern monsoon, which is to start by mid-October.
The main factor that has re-enlivened the southwest monsoon is an atmospheric trough that has formed over the coast of Andhra Pradesh. Scientists expected this to transform into a low pressure system by late Saturday. Almost all parts of Kerala received strong showers on Friday night and Saturday.
The average rainfall Kerala is to receive till September 5 during the June 1-September 30 southwestern monsoon season is 184 cm but the State has so far received 228 cm rainfall which is 24 percent above the expected normal. All the 14 districts in the State had received normal or above-normal rainfall in the current season.
The lowest rainfall of the season was recorded in Wayanad district which got its normal average of 247 cm. The heaviest rainfall was recorded in Idukki district, which received 291 cm of showers while the normal level is 203 cm. The monsoon had made a temporary withdrawal in the first week of August after wreaking havoc in the State, especially in Idukki district.