The southwest monsoon set in over Kerala on Thursday, said the India Meteorological Department. This marks the beginning of the four-month rainy season in the country.
This year, the monsoon has reached Kerala three days later than its usual onset date of June 1.
The weather agency had earlier predicted that the monsoon would arrive in Kerala by May 26. However, it acknowledged on May 29 that the monsoon was unlikely to set in over the state within the four-day window around that date.
Revising its forecast on Tuesday, the IMD said that the monsoon was expected to arrive in Kerala by June 4.
On Thursday, the agency stated that the monsoon had advanced into the remaining parts of the southwest and southeast Arabian Sea, the entire Lakshadweep region, Kerala and Mahe, parts of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, the remaining parts of the Comorin area, the southeast Bay of Bengal and additional parts of the west-central, east-central and northeast Bay of Bengal.
Conditions were favourable for the monsoon to advance further into Goa, parts of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, more areas of Karnataka and the remaining parts of Tamil Nadu over the next two to three days, it added.
The southwest monsoon season generally begins in June and starts to retreat by September. The India Meteorological Department declares the onset of the season when it hits Kerala.
On May 29, the India Meteorological Department said that the country is expected to receive rainfall at 90% of the long-period average.
This figure is lower than the 92% projection made in its first long-range forecast issued in April.
This marks the first time in 11 years that a shortfall in rainfall has been predicted for the June to September period.
The long-period average is the measure of the mean rainfall during the four-month monsoon season over the last 50 years.
Orange alert in Kerala, Yellow alert in Delhi
Meanwhile, heavy rain continued in parts of Kerala on Thursday, prompting the weather agency to issue an orange alert for Thrissur, Alappuzha, Kottayam and Ernakulam.
The IMD warned of thunderstorms and very heavy rainfall in the districts.
The weather agency also issued a yellow alert for rain and thunderstorms in Delhi on Thursday, PTI reported.
Written by Sara Varghese. Edited by Sneha.
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