Monsoon hits Kerala, advances further north

The Indian Meteorological Department today said the southwestern monsoon has set over Kerala and has moved ahead entering more parts of the Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

IMD said that with widespread rains across Kerala since Thursday, conditions are favourable for the onset of monsoon in the state.

Rainfall over Kerala has been "fairly widespread" to "widespread" for the last 48 hours. Out of the 14 rainfall monitoring stations for monsoon onset over Kerala, more than 70 per cent of stations have reported rainfall higher than 2.5 mm for the last consecutive two days (4 and 5 June), IMD noted.

It has now further advanced into entire south Arabian Sea, some parts of Central Arabian Sea, entire Lakshadweep area and Kerala, some parts of Coastal and south interior Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, remaining parts of southeast Bay of Bengal and some parts of central and northeast Bay of Bengal, IMD said.

With westerly / west-southwesterly winds of the order of 40-50 kmph over south Arabian Sea. Met said, the monsoon has advanced into parts of coastal and south interior Karnataka and Tamil Nadu as well as the Bay of Bengal across the peninsula.

Conditions are favourable for further advance of southwest monsoon into some more parts of central Arabian Sea, Karnataka; remaining parts of Tamil Nadu, some parts of Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra Pradesh, some more parts of central and north Bay of Bengal and southern parts of northeastern states during the next 48 hours.

But the Met has extended the outlook for a low-pressure area in the Lakshadweep area by two days.

Earlier this morning, it had said that the onset window was being extended by two days. But it went on to announce the onset in the afternoon bulletin.