Winds set the stage for monsoon onset

The cloud mass over the Southeast Arabian Sea is also increasing, which is seen favouring onset of monsoon.

According to IMD’s first forecast on monsoon, the onset over Kerala is likely to be on 4 June with an error margin of four days.

The crucial southwest monsoon starts its journey into the Indian subcontinent from the Kerala coast around 1 June with a standard deviation of about seven days. Monsoon rainfall is critical for agriculture production, which accounts for about 18% of the economy and is the largest employer.

The weather bureau is continuously monitoring the progress of monsoon arrival and will provide further updates on the same, it said.

IMD also issued heatwave warnings for Bihar, northeast Jharkhand and West Bengal and Sikkim during the next 5 days. Heatwave conditions are seen over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam on Sunday and Monday; over Telangana till Tuesday; over Vidarbha from Tuesday to Thursday and over East Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday and Thursday.

Due to humid air and high temperature, hot and Discomfort weather is likely over Odisha and Tamil Nadu on Sunday. A 3-5°C rise in maximum temperatures is predicted over plains of Northwest India during next 5 days, while a likely developing cyclonic circulation in southeast Arabian Sea will cause heavy rainfall over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, Kerala and Andaman and Nicobar Islands during Sunday and Monday, the weather bureau said.

IMD also sees hailstorm with thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds over West Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Madhya Maharashtra on Sunday.

Updated: 04 Jun 2023, 10:58 PM IST