Monsoon onsets over Kerala after a week's delay

The India's Meteorological Department on Thursday announced on Thursday that monsoon rains hit Kerala, a week late. In a statement, the country's weather office said, "Southwest Monsoon has set in over Kerala today, the 8th June, 2023, against the normal date of 1st June."

The southwest monsoon traditionally sets in over Kerala on June 1 with a standard deviation of about seven days.

In mid-May, the IMD predicted that the monsoon might arrive in Kerala by June 4, while private forecaster Skymet pegged it to set in on June 7 with an error margin of three days.


"The monsoon has advanced into remaining parts of south Arabian Sea and some parts of central Arabian Sea, entire Lakshadweep area, most parts of Kerala, most parts of south Tamil Nadu, remaining parts of Comorin area, Gulf of Mannar and some more parts of southwest, central and northeast Bay of Bengal today," the statement added.

The southeast monsoon arrived in the southern state on May 29 last year, June 3 in 2021, June 1 in 2020, June 8 in 2019 and May 29 in 2018.

Scientists say a slightly delayed onset over Kerala does not mean that the monsoon will reach other parts of the country late. It also does not impact the total rainfall over the country during the season.

Northwest India is expected to see normal to below-normal rainfall. East and northeast, central, and south peninsula are expected to receive normal rainfall at 94-106% of the long-period average.

Normal rainfall is critical for India's agricultural landscape, with 52% of the net cultivated area relying on it. It is also crucial for the replenishing of reservoirs critical for drinking water apart from power generation across the country. Rainfed agriculture accounts for about 40% of the country's total food production.

With inputs from Agencies