Southwest monsoon hits Kerala early, easing warmth and boosting harvest hopes

The southwest monsoon hit Kerala on Saturday, marking its earliest arrival over the Indian mainland since 2009, because the India Meteorological Division (IMD) stated the rains reached the southern coast eight days sooner than normal, providing aid from a gruelling warmth wave and elevating hopes for a bumper harvest.

Usually, the southwest monsoon makes its onset over Kerala by June 1 and covers your entire nation by July 8. It begins retreating from northwest India round September 17 and withdraws utterly by October 15.

The monsoon had set in over the southern state on Could 30 final yr; June 8 in 2023; Could 29 in 2022; June 3 in 2021; June 1 in 2020; June 8 in 2019; and Could 29 in 2018, IMD knowledge confirmed.

Information accessible since 1975 confirmed that the monsoon reached Kerala the earliest in 1990 (on Could 19), 13 days earlier than the same old date.

In line with meteorologists, there isn’t a direct relationship between the onset date and the entire rainfall over the nation in the course of the season.

The monsoon arriving early or late in Kerala doesn’t imply it’ll cowl different components of the nation accordingly. It’s characterised by large-scale variabilities and world, regional and native options, an IMD official stated.

The IMD in April forecast above-normal cumulative rainfall within the 2025 monsoon season, ruling out the potential for El Nino circumstances, that are related to below-normal rainfall within the Indian subcontinent.

In line with the IMD, rainfall between 96 per cent and 104 per cent of the 50-year common of 87 cm is taken into account ’regular’.

Rainfall lower than 90 per cent of the long-period common is taken into account ‘poor’; between 90 per cent and 95 per cent is ‘under regular’; between 105 per cent and 110 per cent is ‘above regular’; and greater than 110 per cent is taken into account ’extra’ precipitation.

India noticed 934.8 mm of rainfall in 2024, 108 per cent of the common and the best since 2020.

In 2023, it recorded 820 mm, 94.4 per cent of the common.

In 2022, it noticed 925 mm; 870 mm in 2021; and 958 mm in 2020, in line with IMD knowledge.

The monsoon is essential for India’s agriculture sector, which helps the livelihood of about 42 per cent of the inhabitants and contributes 18.2 per cent to the nation’s GDP.

Additionally it is important for replenishing the reservoirs important for consuming water and energy era throughout the nation.