New Delhi: This year, the southwest monsoon is expected to arrive earlier than usual, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting its onset over Kerala within the next 24 hours. For the first time in the past 16 years, the monsoon is likely to hit Kerala ahead of schedule.
Favorable conditions for the monsoon’s onset have developed across the state, and a combination of a low-pressure area and an active monsoon system over the past two days has already brought heavy rainfall to several parts of Kerala.
Historically, early monsoon arrivals in Kerala were recorded in 2001 and 2009, with the rains commencing on May 23 during both years.
Typically, the southwest monsoon makes landfall in Kerala around June 1. However, in an exceptionally early instance back in 1918, the monsoon arrived as early as May 11. On the other hand, the most delayed onset was in 1972, when the rains began only by June 18.
Over the last 25 years, the latest arrival of the monsoon occurred in 2016, with the onset recorded on June 9.
Meanwhile, the IMD has issued a heavy rainfall alert for several southern regions, including Kerala, the coastal and interior parts of Karnataka, as well as Konkan and Goa, predicting intense showers on Saturday, May 24.
