The southwest monsoon hit Kerala on Tuesday, three days ahead of its regular date, according to the India Meteorological Department. On May 18, the weather department had predicted that the southwest monsoon would hit the Kerala coast on May 29. It had, however, said the date for the season’s onset may change by up to four days.
The Met department forecast “normal” rainfall this season. The official date of arrival of monsoon in the country is June 1 and it takes more than a month-and-half to cover the entire country, reported PTI.
The southwest monsoon has advanced into most parts of Kerala, the Kanyakumari-Maldives area, all of Lakshadweep, most of southeast Arabian Sea, and some more parts of southwest, central and northeast Bay of Bengal, according to the Met department. Pre-monsoon showers had arrived in Kerala on May 25, according to The Indian Express.
The department has forecast squally winds along the coasts of Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa, Lakshadweep, and Andaman and Nicobar islands. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea along these coasts.
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