NEW DELHI, JUNE 4: The southwest monsoon officially arrived over Kerala on Thursday, marking the onset of India’s crucial four-month rainy season, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) announced.
In a statement, the IMD said the monsoon has advanced across the entire Kerala coast and Lakshadweep Islands, while also covering parts of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, the Arabian Sea, the Comorin region, and large sections of the Bay of Bengal.
The monsoon typically reaches Kerala around June 1, but this year’s onset was delayed after the weather department’s earlier forecast had projected its arrival by May 26.
Last week, the IMD revised its seasonal outlook and predicted below-normal rainfall across the country during the June-September monsoon season. Rainfall is expected to be around 90 percent of the Long Period Average (LPA), which is based on rainfall data recorded between 1971 and 2020.
The LPA for the country’s seasonal rainfall stands at 87 cm. According to IMD classifications, rainfall below 90 percent of the LPA is considered “deficient.”
Meteorologists attribute the weaker monsoon outlook partly to the development of El Niño conditions over the equatorial Pacific Ocean, a climate phenomenon often associated with reduced monsoon rainfall in India.
The IMD said neutral El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) conditions are currently transitioning towards El Niño, which is expected to remain weak in June before strengthening to moderate or strong levels by September.
Despite the delayed onset, the advance of the monsoon over Kerala signals the formal beginning of the southwest monsoon season, which is vital for agriculture, water resources, and the overall economy.
