EXTRA EARY MONSOON BEGINS OVER KERALA, eight days ahead of schedule

Bhubaneswar: The southwest monsoon has officially arrived in Kerala, eight days ahead of its normal schedule, announced the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday.

This early onset marks the earliest arrival of the monsoon in the southern state since 2009, when it reached Kerala on May 23. Historically, the earliest monsoon onset over Kerala was recorded on May 19, 1990, 13 days before the usual onset date of June 1, according to the IMD.

The arrival of the southwest monsoon over Kerala is significant as it marks the beginning of a four-month-long season that brings more than 70% of India's annual rainfall and plays a crucial role in the country's agriculture-dependent economy. "As the monsoon winds strengthen, the rains will advance across the rest of the country through June, typically covering the entire nation by mid-July," an IMD official stated.

Earlier, the IMD had forecast the onset around May 27, with a margin of plus or minus 4 days. This year's arrival has thus fallen well within the predicted window, albeit at the earliest edge.