New Delhi. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday announced that as per the current climate forecasts, the southwest monsoon is expected to reach the Kerala coast around May 31. Which marks the beginning of the rainy season. The Meteorological Department said that the actual onset of monsoon may occur between May 27 and June 4. The south-west monsoon usually enters Kerala about a week earlier or later, currently on 1 June.
Weather forecasting agency IMD said in its latest forecast that this year the south-west monsoon is likely to reach Kerala on May 31 with a model error of +/- 4 days. IMD Director General Mrityunjay Mohapatra said that it is not early. This is close to the normal date as the normal date of onset of monsoon in Kerala is June 1. The southwest monsoon is a seasonal wind pattern that brings much-needed rain to India. It is important for India’s agriculture, because it receives most of the country’s annual rainfall.
June and July are considered the most important monsoon months for agriculture as most of the sowing of Kharif crops takes place during this period. The monsoon blows from the south-west, usually reaching Kerala in early June and withdrawing by the end of September. According to IMD, there is expected to be more rainfall than normal during the monsoon season this year. Last year, the onset of monsoon was delayed by four days from the expected date on June 8.
FIRST PUBLISHED: May 15, 2024, 22:07 IST