Monsoon to arrive early in Kerala: IMD

NEW DELHI: Conditions are favourable for the onset of monsoon in Kerala around May 31, a day ahead of its usual date, India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday. IMD scientists said the very severe Cyclonic Yaas, which ravaged Odisha and West Bengal coasts on Wednesday, helped strengthen monsoon winds.

Monsoon arrives in Kerala first around June 1 and covers the rest of the country by midJuly. A normal rainy season is imperative for the agriculture sector, especially this year because of the pandemic ravaging the country.

Sunitha Devi, who is in charge of cyclones at IMD, said there is no likelihood of a low-pressure area developing immediately. “(Cyclone) Yaas has weakened. Now monsoon will gradually pick up,” she said

Mahesh Palawat, vice president, Skymet Weather, said Cyclone Yaas helped pull the monsoon current ahead in the Arabian Sea. “There was heavy to very heavy rain reported in many parts of Kerala in the last 24 hours. So, we are expecting the monsoon to arrive early.”

OP Sreejith, scientist and head, Climate Monitoring and Prediction Group, said cross-equatorial flow over the Arabian Sea has strengthened because of which heavy rain was reported over Kerala. “But that is not monsoon rain. We are expecting monsoon to arrive on May 31.”

On May 14, IMD said Monsoon is likely to arrive over Kerala on May 31 a day ahead of its normal arrival date of June 1, with a possible error margin of plus/minus four days. The monsoon season is crucial for summer crops and brings about 70% of India’s annual rainfall. It is critical to the country’s agriculture, which is one of the mainstays of its economy. Monsoon spurs farm produce and improves rural spending. It is the lifeline for about 60% of the country’s net cultivated area, which has no irrigation. The monsoon impacts inflation, jobs, and industrial demand. Good farm output keeps a lid on food inflation. Ample harvests raise rural incomes and help inject demand into the economy.

Monsoon advanced into some more parts of Maldives-Comorin area, Southwest and East-central Bay of Bengal, most parts of Southeast Bay of Bengal, and some parts of West-central Bay of Bengal on Thursday. Parts of Odisha reported extremely heavy rain on Wednesday with Chandbali receiving 29cm rainfall. Kanyakumari recorded 24cm and Kerala’s Idukki recorded 19 cm rain and Thiruvananthapuram 17cm. On Thursday also, Kerala’s Kayamkulam and Alapuzha recorded 9 cm of rain while Nedumangad and Thiruvlla 8 cm each.

(Cyclone) Yaas has weakened. Now monsoon will gradually pick up SUNITHA DEVI, IMD Scientist