THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state is expected to get widespread rainfall over the weekend thereby breaking the long dry spell in many parts. It rained heavily in many high-range locations bordering Tamil Nadu. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued yellow alerts in eight districts on Friday as a continuation of Thursday’s rain. The rainfall is expected to cover most parts of the state by Saturday and limited to a couple of northern districts from the next day onwards.
However, weather experts said that the new development did not signal the strengthening of the south west monsoon, and rains will be intermittent and isolated from next week onward. The monsoon has been weak so far in the state. Despite an early onset on May 29, three days ahead of the normal onset date of June 1, the monsoon has been deficient. Against the average monsoon rainfall of 320 mm, the state has received only 132 mm from June 1 to June 12.
“There is a chance for widespread rainfall till June 18. Then a similar condition is likely to arise by the last week of June,” says Abhilash S, director of Advanced Centre for Atmospheric Radar Research (ACARR) and associate professor, Department of Atmospheric Sciences at CUSAT. Rajeevan Erikkulam, meteorologist with the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, said the rainfall over the weekend should not be considered as monsoon rains.
“The recent rain was more of a convective rain with thunderstorms due to easterly winds. There will be moderate rainfall over the weekend as the wind gets stronger,” he said. “There will be intermittent rain next week to break the dry spell. The weather conditions such as Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), an oceanic-atmospheric phenomenon which affects weather activities across the globe, is expected to be in a favourable phase by next week. But it is too early to say if it will result in more rains because the early indication is that MJO has weakened,” he added. The IMD had forecast that the state will be getting below average rainfall this June. The deficit is also likely to be the largest in recent years,.
IMD issues alert
IMD issues yellow alerts in eight districts on Friday and in all districts on Saturday.
Forecast says moderate rainfall in all districts with yellow alert
State has received 59% less rainfall this June