NEW DELHI: MONSOON is most likely to be normal with the onset in Kerala expected to be delayed by 5 days on June 6, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) announced in a revised forecast on Friday.
“Region-wise, the season rainfall is likely to be 94% of average over Northwest India, 100% over central India, 97% over South Peninsula and 91% over Northeast, all with a model error of ± 8 per cent,” said the IMD.It also said that the monthly rainfall over the country as whole is likely to be 95% on an average during July and 9% average during August both with a model error of ± 9 percent
IMD will now issue a forecast for the rainfall during the second half of the season in July 2019-end.
In a statement issued on Friday, IMD said that the “monsoon was set over the south Andaman sea and some parts of south Bay of Bengal on its normal date of May 18”.
As per the Met department, the monsoon further advanced into some more parts of south Andaman Sea on May 25 and into the southernmost parts of Maldives-Comorin area, some more parts of southwest and southeast Bay of Bengal, remaining parts of Andaman sea and Andaman Islands and some parts of east-central Bay of Bengal on May 30.
“It is very likely to advance further into extreme southern parts of Arabian Sea and some more parts of Maldives and Comorin area, southwest, southeast and east central Bay of Bengal during the next 72 hours. Thereafter, the monsoon is likely to pick up more steam and set in over Kerala around June 6,” the IMD said.
The IMD had earlier put out a grim forecast saying that the monsoon this year was likely to be less than normal.
Good rains are deemed essential for a good harvest and a robust monsoon will be the key to reviving the economy, which is showing signs of a slowdown.