IMD predicts ‘slight but not significant delay’ in arrival of southwest monsoon this year

New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday announced that the southwest monsoon is likely to reach Kerala on June 4, four days later than normal.

The southwest monsoon, which irrigates more than half of India’s agricultural land and is considered the driving force of the Indian economy, usually arrives in Kerala on 1 June, and lasts until September.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the IMD said the monsoon would arrive over Kerala on June 4 with a “model error of plus or minus days”, and added: “The southwest monsoon generally sets over Kerala on June 1 with a standard deviation of about 7”. sets with. day.

A slight change has been observed in the onset of monsoon in the last 5 years. In 2018 and 2022 it fell on May 29, while in 2019 it fell on June 8.

“This is not a significant delay and has no impact on the monsoon season rainfall,” IMD director general Mrutyunjay Mohapatra told ThePrint over phone.

Mohapatra said the severe cyclonic storm Mocha, which made landfall in Myanmar on May 14, has not affected the forecast for the arrival of monsoon.

Last month, the IMD had forecast the monsoon over the country as a whole to be within the “normal” category, within 96 per cent of the long period average (LPA) of 87 cm.

This private forecaster is unlike Skymet Weather ForecastWhich says the monsoon could be “below normal” with rainfall within 94 per cent of the LPA.

The formation of El Nino, a climate phenomenon known to adversely affect the Indian monsoon, is likely to occur later this year. can affect In the second half of the monsoon, Mohapatra had said while addressing a press conference.

The IMD is likely to issue a more detailed weather forecast for the monsoon in the coming weeks.


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Rain in Northeast, dust storms in Northwest, Central India

In its daily forecast, the IMD said that the northeast region would receive rain over the next five days, while northwest and central India would experience dust storms and gusty winds.

The maximum temperature is likely to rise by 2-3 degree Celsius after May 18 over northwest and central India, where the maximum temperature has already crossed 40 degree Celsius.

The IMD has predicted that Coastal Andhra Pradesh may witness severe heat wave conditions over the next two days, while Odisha, Coastal West Bengal, Rayalaseema, Kerala and Tamil Nadu may witness “hot and uncomfortable weather” due to rising temperature and humidity. There will be experience.

(Edited by Uttara Ramaswamy)


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