South West Monsoon hits Kerala-Goa Karnataka on red alert
IMD has issued heavy rainfall warning for several southern and western states that includes Karnataka and Kerala which has welcomed the southwest monsoon.
However, red alert has also been sounded for Goa, forecasting heavy downpours until Sunday. Heavy showers lashed parts of the coastal state in the past 24 hours.
The weatherman, in its forecast, also predicted heavy rainfall for three days – from May 25 to 27 in Mumbai. The weather is expected to turn cloudy from Saturday, with the possibility of showers and thunderstorms continuing until Monday.
The arrival of Southwest monsoon in Kerala today, 24 May, marks an early onset eight days ahead of the usual date of June1. This is the earliest monsoon onset in Kerala since 2009, when it began on May 23.
In accordance to historical data since 1975, the earliest recorded onset of the southwest monsoon over Kerala was on May 19 1990, which was 13 days earlier than the normal date.
The advance arrival of the monsoon this year signals the beginning of the rainy season across Kerala, bringing much-needed relief and marking the start of the broader monsoon progression over the Indian subcontinent. Meteorologists will be closely monitoring its movement as it spreads to other parts of the country in the coming weeks.
The IMD has declared a red alert in Kerala for the following districts: Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Thrissur, Idukki, and Malappuram.
In the wake of low-pressure area over the east-central Arabian sea, IMD has forecast heavy rainfall across Karnataka, particularly in the coastal districts.
Extremely heavy rain with gusty winds (30-40 kmph) is expected in parts of Dakshina Kannada, while Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts may see heavy to very heavy rain and widespread moderate showers on Saturday.
Belagavi and Dharwad are also on alert, with moderate rain forecast for several interior districts including Ballari, Bengaluru (Rural and Urban), Chikkaballapura, Chamarajanagara, Tumakuru, and others.
On May 25, extremely heavy rain is likely to continue in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Uttara Kannada. Gusty winds will accompany the showers throughout the forecast period, prompting alerts in several districts. IMD advises caution as the weather system develops and moves inland.
Meanwhile, Bengaluru is likely to receive scattered showers over the next five days, the IMD said.
Mumbai experienced a partly cloudy day on 23 May, with temperatures ranging between 25°C and 33°C. Today, 24 May, entire day witnessed partly cloudy skies.
The city will continue to witness partly cloudy skies and occasional showers or thunderstorms through to Wednesday, 29 May.
News Edit KV Raman
