Monsoon enters India via Kerala after 3-day delay; IMD forecasts heavy rain across parts of state

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on June 4 officially declared the onset of the southwest monsoon over Kerala, marking the beginning of India’s rainy season. The monsoon arrived three days later than its normal onset date of June 1. The declaration followed the fulfilment of all meteorological conditions required for the onset of the seasonal rains over the state.

The weather department had earlier revised its forecast and indicated that the monsoon was likely to reach Kerala around June 4 after atmospheric conditions slowed its progress. In May, the IMD had initially projected an earlier onset around May 26, but changes in weather patterns delayed the advance of the monsoon system.

According to the IMD, rain-bearing clouds increased over the southeast Arabian Sea during the past two days, while westerly winds strengthened and extended up to 4.5 kilometres above sea level. The department stated that these developments indicated the establishment of a sustained monsoon flow. Widespread rainfall was also recorded across Kerala, with isolated locations receiving heavy showers during the same period.

Several parts of Kerala continued to receive rainfall on Thursday. The IMD issued an orange alert for Alappuzha, Kottayam and Ernakulam districts and warned of thunderstorms, heavy rain and surface winds reaching speeds of up to 40 kmph. The weather department said the combination of rainfall, stronger winds and increased cloud cover met the criteria required for the official declaration of monsoon onset.

With the monsoon now established over Kerala, attention has shifted to its advance across the rest of the country. The southwest monsoon typically progresses through June, covering large parts of the west coast and the Northeast before moving into central India around the middle of the month. Delhi generally receives monsoon rainfall around June 27, while most parts of northwest India, including Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and western Uttar Pradesh, are usually covered by the end of June or during the first week of July.