Monsoon Update: High Alert in Kerala after Pre-monsoon Rains; Heatwaves to Continue in These States

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has projected that monsoon rains would arrive in Kerala on May 27. This is five days earlier than the typical June 1 start date. In the days that follow, it spreads throughout the country from the coast.

The model error for this prediction is plus or minus four days. The next update would come sometime final week in May when the IMD would provide an updated if any, date of onset. The advent of the monsoon is greatly anticipated since it has a significant impact on India's agriculture and economy.

Kerala has already begun to experience pre-monsoon rains. The IMD has issued a warning about the southwest monsoon moving into the Andaman Sea, which will bring more rain and squally weather in the coming days. The date with the Andaman Sea is usually May 22. Last month, the weather service predicted that the country will receive normal monsoon rains this year. 

When the rains are quantitatively 99 percent of the Long Period Average, it is considered normal (LPA). Between 17 and 20, heavy to very heavy rain is possible across the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Heavy rain will continue to fall across Northeast India for the next three to four days. According to Skymet, heavy pre-monsoon rains will persist over Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu's interior, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Northeast India till the monsoon arrives.

Heatwave in Northwest India:

According to news agency PTI, the temperature reached 49 degrees in Mungeshpur near the Haryana border on Sunday, breaking the previous record of 48 degrees set in May 1966. Rain shortages are said to be one of the causes of the extreme temperatures in the national capital.

Many other sections of the country, such as Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, are still experiencing extreme heat.