Southwest monsoon enters Andaman and Nicobar region, a week in advance
In the last 24 hours, the weather department recorded widespread moderate to heavy rainfall in a few places over the Nicobar Islands.
Southwest monsoon made its onset over some parts of the Andaman Sea, southern Bay of Bengal and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, at least a week before its scheduled time of arrival, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Tuesday.
The normal date for the advancement of monsoon over the Andaman region is May 21, as per the IMD’s New Normal Dates of Onset/Progress and Withdrawal of Southwest Monsoon over India released in 2020.
In the last 24 hours, the weather department recorded widespread moderate to heavy rainfall in a few places over the Nicobar Islands, with westerly winds increasing in intensity in the past two days over southern Bay of Bengal, Nicobar Islands and Andaman Sea.
The outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) over the area continued to decrease to less than 200 W/m2 during past 2 days, the IMD said. OLR is the total radiation going to space emitted by the atmosphere, or the extent of cloudiness.
“Considering all the above satisfied criteria, southwest monsoon has advanced into some parts of southern Bay of Bengal, southern Andaman Sea, Nicobar Islands and some parts of northern Andaman Sea today,” the IMD said.
Conditions are favourable for further advancement over some parts of southern Arabian Sea, Maldives and Comorin area, including some more parts of southern Bay of Bengal, entire Andaman and Nicobar Islands, remaining parts of Andaman Sea, and some parts of central Bay of Bengal over the next 3-4 days, the IMD added.
Rainfall, accompanied with thunderstorms and lightning, is likely to continue over west, central and south Peninsular India, and also over Northeast India, in the next five days.
“There is a cyclonic circulation over southeast Bay of Bengal, due to which rainfall activity will intensify. Rainfall is increasing and conditions are gradually becoming favourable for the onset of monsoon. A heat low pressure will be created and monsoon may reach parts of Arabian Sea in the next 4-5 days,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice president, climate and meteorology, Skymet Weather.
Meanwhile, heatwave conditions are likely to continue over some areas of West Bengal till May 15 and likely to commence over Jharkhand from May 13, over Uttar Pradesh from May 14 and over West Rajasthan from May 15.
