Delayed monsoon in Kerala this year; likely to start on June 4, says IMD

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Tuesday that monsoon may be delayed by four days in Kerala this year. Monsoon season typically begins in the southern state from June 1, which marks the beginning of the four-month monsoon season, which brings about 75 per cent of India’s annual rainfall.

However, this year, the monsoon season is anticipated to start on June 4.

A press release by IMD stated that its operational forecasts of the date of monsoon onset over Kerala during the past 18 years (2005-2022) were proved to be correct except in 2015. The beginning of monsoon Kerala will lead to the end of the summer season, marked by dry and scorching weather.

Previously, in the country's southern state, the monsoon arrived on May 29 in 2022, June 3 in 2021 and June 1 in 2020.

The IMD is yet to announce when the onset of monsoon will begin in other parts of the country.

This year, according to IMD data, places such as Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, and Uttarakhand have received 18 per cent excess rainfall in the pre-monsoon season so far.

The peninsular region received 88 per cent excess rain (102 mm against the normal of 54.2 mm) during this period, as per the shared data. 

However, east and northeast India recorded a 29 per cent rain deficit which is 141.5 mm, against the normal of 199.9 mm, from March 1 to May 3.