South-west monsoon arrives early in state

THIRUVANATHAPURAM: The south-west monsoon on Sunday set in over Kerala and the Lakshadweep, surprising meteorologists by its abruptness and triggering the fear that a truant low pressure formation over the Arabian Sea may lead it astray.The India Meteorological Department (IMD), Thiruvananthapuram, formally announced the onset of monsoon on Sunday afternoon, saying the conditions were favourable for its trip northwards in the weeks ahead.This year, the south-west monsoon is predicted to be a normal one.“The monsoon has almost covered Kerala.In the next few days, Karnataka and parts of Tamil Nadu will be covered as the monsoon advances further. We’ve been on alert mode since May 10.Now everything is favourable for its advance, including the winds, wind speeds and clouding,” K Santhosh, Director, IMD, Thiruvananthapuram, said.The south-west monsoon accounts for 80 percent of the rainfall in the country.The IMD had earlier predicted a May 31 or June 1 onset for the monsoon in Kerala, the entry point on the Indian mainland.Compared to last year, the monsoon has set in two days ahead, Santhosh said.Last year, the south-west monsoon had set in over Kerala on May 31, with a total rainfall volume of 10 percent less than the normal. The normal rainfall is 204 cm in Kerala. Meanwhile, Met experts have advised caution. A low pressure formation over western Arabian Sea speeded up the onset of the monsoon, and the consequences of this phenomenon were yet to be revealed fully, said C K Rajan, professor, Climate and Environmental Change, SCMS, Kochi.“It has all the characteristics of the onset and conditions are quite favourable for its advance, but we have to wait and see for the next 24 hours,” he said.“The monsoon covered the Andaman Sea on Saturday and it usually takes one week to reach Kerala. But the low pressure formation has quickened its arrival.So before we can safely call it a normal onset, we have to see that it does not deflect the monsoon,” he opined.