Monsoon to hit Kerala on June 1: IMD issues orange alert for Kerala's Idukki district

On Thursday, the India Meteorological Department had said that the south west monsoon was likely to hit Kerala on June 1. Now, a day later, the IMD has issued a rainfall forecast for Kerala and the Lakshadweep Islands.

While varying levels of rainfall have been predicted for the various districts, the Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for Kerala's Idukki district for May 29 and 30, that is, Friday and Saturday.

The IMD had earlier, in its onset date forecast on May 15, predicted that the monsoon would hit slightly later than normal. This was later revised owing to a cyclonic circulation over the Bay of Bengal that is likely to help in the progress of the monsoon.

In it's midday weather summary and forecast bulletin for Friday, IMD predicted that a low pressure area was likely to form over southeast and adjoining east-central Arabian Sea around 31^st May.

"It is very likely to move north-northwestwards and concentrate into a Depression over east-central and adjoining southeast Arabian Sea during the subsequent 72 hours," the IMD warned over Twitter. Keeping this in mind, the IMD said "conditions are likely to become favourable for onset of Southwest Monsoon over Kerala around 1st June".

Taking to Twitter on Friday afternoon the IMD said that the southwest monsson had now advanced to part of southwest and southeast Arabian Sea and additional parts of the Maldives-Comorin area.

"Conditions becoming favourable for further advance of SW Monsoon in some more parts of south Arabian Sea, Maldives-Comorin area, SW and SE Bay of Bengal during next 48 hrs," it wrote.

The Meteorological Department has also predicted rainfall for large parts of the country in the coming days.