Monsoon's onset at Kerala likely on May 27: IMD

New Delhi, May 13

The much-awaited Southwest Monsoon is likely to knock on Kerala's door on May 27, against the normal onset date of June 1, the IMD announced on Friday.

The monsoon's arrival is eagerly awaited as it has a deep impact on India's agriculture and economy and hence termed as the real Finance Minister of India.

"This year, the onset of southwest monsoon over Kerala is likely to be earlier than normal date of onset. The monsoon onset over Kerala is likely to be on May 27 with a model error of plus or minus four days," the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

In the Indian monsoon region, initial monsoon rains are experienced over south Andaman Sea and the monsoon winds then advance north-westwards across the Bay of Bengal. As per the normal dates of monsoon onset/progress, the southwest monsoon advances over the Andaman Sea around May 22.

"In association with enhanced cross equatorial winds, conditions are becoming favourable for advance of Southwest Monsoon into South Andaman Sea, Nicobar Islands and some parts of southeast Bay of Bengal, around May 15," the IMD said.

Past data suggest that there is no association of the date of monsoon advance over the Andaman Sea either with the date of monsoon onset over Kerala or with the seasonal monsoon rainfall over the country, the IMD pointed out.