The India Meteorological Department on Wednesday said the onset of southwest monsoon this year is likely to be delayed by five days, PTI reported. Moonsoon is expected to arrive in Kerala on June 6 while the normal onset date is June 1.
“The southwest monsoon onset is likely to set over Kerala on June 6 with a model error of plus or minus 4 days,” PTI quoted the weather department as saying. “Conditions are becoming favourable for advance of southwest monsoon over the southern part of Andaman Sea, Nicobar Islands and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal during May 18-19.”
Private weather agency Skymet had said on Tuesday that monsoon would hit the southern state’s coast on June 4, with an error margin of two days. This is the third instance of monsoon arriving late since 2014, when it hit Kerala on June 5. In 2015 and 2016, the onset of southwest monsoon was on June 6 and June 8.
Last month, the India Meteorological Department had said India would likely see a “near normal” southwest monsoon this year. Skymet, however, said the country would receive below-normal rainfall.
The delay in monsoon’s arrival may not necessarily have an impact on the overall rainfall. Last year, it set over Kerala on May 29, three days before the normal onset date. But the country received below-normal rainfall.
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