Monsoon likely to arrive in Kerala on May 31, says IMD; heavy rainfall predicted in Karnataka from June 1

The IMD said last month that India was expected to get average monsoon rains this year, raising expectations of higher farm output, which is central to the country's economy.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday that the southwest monsoon will most probably hit Kerala on Monday. The conditions will become favourable for onset of the monsoon over southern tip of Kerala on May 31, the IMD's said in its forecast.

Cyclone Yaas helped strengthen monsoon winds, the weather department said. (Vijay Bate/HT Photo)

The date has advanced by a day due to Cyclone Yaas, which started brewing in the Bay of Bengal and lashed India's east coast, the IMD said earlier. The cyclonic storm helped pull the monsoon flow over Arabian sea, it added.

"Southwest monsoon has further advanced into some more parts of Maldives-Comorin area, southwest and eastcentral Bay of Bengal, most parts of Southeast Bay of Bengal and some parts of westcentral Bay of Bengal," the IMD said in its May 27 forecast.

The usual date of the monsoon's arrival in Kerala is June 1. It marks the commencement of four-month rainfall season from June to September.

The details of zone wise distribution of rain will be released by the weather department on May 31. Meanwhile, the department forecast "scattered to fairly widespread rain/thunderstorm" likely over Karnataka, Kerala and Mahe and "isolated to scattered rain/thunderstorm" over remaining parts of south peninsular India during next 4-5 days.

The IMD said last month that India was expected to get average monsoon rains this year, raising expectations of higher farm output, which is central to the country's economy.

Nearly half of India's farmland depends on annual June-September rains to grow crops such as rice, corn, cane, cotton and soybeans.

The IMD had announced the monsoon's arrival in Andaman and Nicobar Islands on May 21.