NEW DELHI, June 4 (H.S.): The Southwest Monsoon made its onset over Kerala on Thursday, three days later than its normal arrival date. Under its influence, heavy rainfall has been forecast at isolated places across Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka during the next seven days. The monsoon is also expected to advance further over Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, additional parts of the Bay of Bengal and the Northeastern states within the next two to three days.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the monsoon has progressed rapidly, covering Kerala along with parts of Lakshadweep, Mahe, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. It has also advanced into the remaining parts of the southwest and southeast Arabian Sea as well as several regions of the Bay of Bengal.

The weather department stated that conditions are highly favourable for the further advance of the Southwest Monsoon during the next two to three days. It is likely to cover the entire state of Goa, additional parts of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, the remaining parts of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, and further areas of the southwest, west-central, east-central and northeast Bay of Bengal, besides extending into the Northeastern states.

Over the past two days, a significant increase in dense convective cloud activity was observed over the southeast Arabian Sea, creating favourable conditions for the monsoon's onset over Kerala. Low-level westerly winds were recorded at speeds of approximately 37–46 kilometres per hour, while the depth of the westerly wind flow extended up to about 4.5 kilometres above mean sea level over the southeast Arabian Sea.

During the last 48 hours, widespread rainfall accompanied by heavy showers at isolated locations was recorded across most parts of Kerala. Rainfall measurements included 9 cm at Palluruthy (Ernakulam); 8 cm each at Mattancherry (Ernakulam), Kochi IAF and Cherthala (Alappuzha); 7 cm at Vaikom (Kottayam); and 6 cm each at Aluva, Kumarakom, Neyyattinkara, Peermade, Kalamassery, Kurudamannil, Vadavathoor and Kochi CIAL. Several locations, including Thaicattussery, Idukki, Thiruvananthapuram, Thodupuzha, Munnar and Kannur, recorded between 3 and 5 cm of rainfall. Many areas in Palakkad, Wayanad, Malappuram, Kasaragod and Kozhikode received between 1 and 2 cm of rain.

Notably, the Southwest Monsoon normally reaches Kerala on June 1 each year. In 2025, it arrived in Kerala on May 24. Subsequently, it reached Delhi on June 29, which was nine days earlier than the normal date.

Typically, the monsoon covers the entire country within about one and a half months of its onset over Kerala. Its withdrawal generally begins around September 17 from Rajasthan and is usually completed by October 15.

This marks the seventh occasion in the last ten years that the Southwest Monsoon has arrived in Kerala later than its normal onset date.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar