The southwest monsoon is expected to make onset over the coasts of Kerala around May 31. Check full forecast here.
Thiruvananthapuram: In a big relief for residents of India, the southwest monsoon is likely to arrive over the coasts of Kerala by around May 31, setting the stage for the four-month rainfall season crucial for India’s agriculture-based economy. The arrival of the monsoon will be a major relief for the farmers of India as well as the residents who are suffering under the immense heatwave conditions.
“Advance of the southwest monsoon over Indian main land is marked by monsoon onset over Kerala and is an important indicator characterizing the transition from a hot and dry season to a rainy season. As the monsoon progresses northward, relief from scorching summer temperatures is experienced over the area,” the Indian Meteorological Department said in a release on Saturday.
For the uninformed, many big cities in the country, including Bengaluru, Jaipur and Dispur, are facing severe water crisis and the news of a positive monsoon is going to be a big consolation for them.
“This year, the Southwest Monsoon is likely to set over Kerala on May 31 with a model error of four days,” the India Meteorological Department said on Wednesday.
“This is not early. It’s a near-normal date, as the normal date for the onset of monsoon over Kerala is June 1,” IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said on Wednesday.
Last month, the IMD forecast above-normal rainfall during the June–September Southwest Monsoon season. Generally, June and July are considered the most important monsoon months for agriculture, as most of the sowing for the Kharif crop takes place during this period.
Impact Of Positive Indian Ocean Dipole
One of the two factors favouring plentiful rain was a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), or a cooler than normal Indian Ocean in the east as compared to the west, which again helps bring rain to several states in southern India.
The IOD is currently ‘neutral’ and is expected to turn positive by August.
Another factor was a below-normal snow cover in the northern hemisphere and Eurasia. Historically, there has been an “inverse relationship” between the levels of snow here and the monsoon, Mohapatra said last month.
(With inputs from agencies)
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