Monsoon onset along Kerala coast on June 6, IMD confirms

KOCHI

: India meteorological department (IMD) has reaffirmed the

onset

date of

southwest monsoon

along Kerala coast as

June 6

. The onset of monsoon also coincides with the reopening of schools in the state.


Meanwhile, Kerala state disaster management authority (KSDMA) has issued yellow alert in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam on June 6.

“IMD has confirmed that southwest monsoon will hit Kerala on June 6. We are expecting normal rains due to weak El Niño conditions over Pacific and the El Nino southern oscillation would turn neutral by the end of the monsoon,” said IMD senior scientist V K Mini.

Since the forecast probability is between 96% to 104 % LPA, the southwest monsoon season is most likely to be normal. LPA is the average rainfall received by the country as a whole during the southwest monsoon, for a 50-year period.

IMD also forecasts thunderstorm and lightning accompanied with gusty wind in the range of 30-40 kmph at isolated places over Kerala and Lakshadweep on June 5 and June 6.

“Due to the possibility of moderate to heavy rains with lightning, yellow alert is issued in the districts Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam on June 6, while Malappuram will be on Yellow alert on June 5,” KSDMA officials said

During this monsoon season from June to September, rainfall will be 94% of LPA over North-West India, 100% of LPA over Central India, 97% of LPA over South Peninsula, and 91% of LPA over North-East India all with a model error of ± 8 %, according to IMD. On the whole, normal rains are forecast across the country.

Meanwhile, according to Skymet, a private weather forecasting agency, the monsoon onset will be delayed further to June 7 with an error margin of plus or minus two days.


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