Relief from heat soon as monsoon advances over Kerala, Northeast
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has reported that the monsoon season has arrived two days ahead of schedule in Kerala and most parts of northeast India. The typical onset date for the monsoon over Kerala is June 1, but this year it began on May 30. Similarly, the monsoon usually reaches northeast India around June 5, but this year it arrived simultaneously with Kerala.
Widespread rainfall, severe flooding in Kerala
Despite widespread heavy rainfall and severe flooding in Kerala over the past fortnight, the IMD adheres to specific criteria for declaring the monsoon onset. Along with rainfall, factors such as outgoing longwave radiation and the depth and intensity of the southwest monsoon winds over Kerala are considered. The onset of the monsoon in Kerala is declared only when all these conditions are satisfactorily met.
Early monsoon brings heavy rainfall to northeastern states
IMD Director General M Mohapatra attributed the early arrival to the active Bay of Bengal arm of the monsoon, which was pulled over the region by severe cyclone Remal. "All criteria for monsoon onset have been met over Kerala during the past two days, including specific rainfall measurements, wind patterns, and cloudiness indicators," Mohapatra added.
IMD declared the onset of monsoon today
Monsoon's early arrival signifies relief from summer heat
The onset of the southwest monsoon over mainland India, marked by its arrival in Kerala, signifies a transition from a hot and dry season to a rainy one. As the monsoon advances northward, it brings relief from scorching summer temperatures. The IMD's long-range forecast issued on April 15 predicts that monsoon rainfall across the country between June and September will be "above normal" at 106% of long period average (LPA) with a model error of ±5%.
Visuals of rains in Kerala
Early monsoon crucial for India's agriculture sector
The monsoon is critical for India's agriculture sector, as 51% of the farmed area, accounting for 40% of production, is rain-fed. Furthermore, with 47% of the country's population dependent on agriculture for their livelihood, a bountiful monsoon directly correlates with a healthy rural economy. The early arrival and predicted "above normal" rainfall could therefore have significant implications for the agricultural sector and rural communities across the country.
How monsoon will look like in India this year
For the 2024 monsoon season, normal or above rainfall is predicted over Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, northern regions of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Sikkim and Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Uttarakhand. Below-normal rainfall is likely over Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Odisha, and southern areas of West Bengal.
