‘Monsoon will be on time’

If the India Meteorological Department (IMD) is to be believed, the monsoon will hit the city on time. On Sunday, the southwest monsoon set in over Kerala three days before its normal onset of June 1.

If the India Meteorological Department (IMD) is to be believed, the monsoon will hit the city on time. On Sunday, the southwest monsoon set in over Kerala three days before its normal onset of June 1.

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According to the IMD, Mumbai gets its rains on June 10, ten days after its onset in Kerala. “The onset of monsoon in Mumbai will be on June 10, the expected date. But we do take an error margin of four days,” said RV Sharma, deputy director general, western region, IMD.

“Since monsoons have also hit Andaman and Nicobar islands, we will have to see whether the monsoon currents remain there or progress upwards,” he added.

The southwest monsoon has also advanced into most parts south of the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Andaman Sea and some parts of Tamil Nadu.

As for an early onset for Mumbai, weathermen said variations in temperature would have to be closely monitored. “It will also depend on formation of low pressure systems, depression or even a cyclonic circulation over the Arabian sea that will help pull up monsoon currents,” said Sharma.