Onset Of Monsoon In Kerala To Be Delayed By Four Days

New Delhi: Even as cyclone Amphan moves towards the east coast of the country, the onset of southwest monsoon in Kerala has been delayed by four days.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), monsoon will be hitting the southern state only on June 5 this year. Usually, the monsoon arrives in Kerala on June 1.

A low pressure system over southeast Bay of Bengal is set to turn into a cyclonic storm by May 18. The Andaman Islands will experience monsoons earlier due to the cyclone.

Head of Climate Research and Services (CRS) at IMD, Pune, D Sivanand Pai told The Indian Express, “Due to the likely formation of cyclone over the Andaman Sea in the upcoming 48 hours, the monsoon onset will be delayed over Kerala. This is because the cyclone would be drawing up all energy from the monsoon winds thereby slowing down its advance into the mainland.”

Earlier, in its first Long Range Forecast (LRF), the Met Department had predicted that the monsoons will be normal this year.

The onset of monsoon was delayed in 2015, 2016 and 2019.