The Hindu Business Line : Widespread rain in Kerala as monsoon build-up continues

Build-up to the onset of the southwest monsoon continued with most parts of Kerala receiving moderate to heavy rainfall during the 24 hours ending 8.30 a.m. on Tuesday.

Kochi Airport recorded seven cm of overnight rain. There has been perceptible increase in cloudiness along the southwest coast, according to Mr K. Santhosh, Director, Met Centre, Thiruvananthapuram.

Wind speeds have been clocking 15 knots to 20 knots and are expected to further accelerate in the coming days.

Onset conditions are establishing one by one but the India Meteorological Department (IMD) will not take call till the last of a prescribed list evolves to specifications, he added.

A forecast by the IMD said many parts of peninsular India might receive scattered rainfall during the next two days.

Rain or thundershowers are likely at many places over Kerala and Lakshadweep and at a few places over Coastal Karnataka.

Initial burst

Isolated heavy rain is likely at many places over Kerala and Lakshadweep during the next 48 hours, a warning from the Chennai Met Centre said.

According to AccuWeather, a US-based private forecaster, the onset of monsoon is most likely before the end of May along the southwest coast. Most of the west coast will be covered in the initial burst by early next week itself.

Persistent, torrential rains are indicated beginning with the last few days of May over the northeast of the subcontinent as well, including over Bangladesh.

Satellite imagery and synoptic rainfall data indicate that the summer rains have already set in over much of Indochina to Southern Myanmar (Burma) and the Andaman Sea.

Pre-monsoon rains

Another aspect of the prevailing weather are the pre-monsoon rains over peninsular India.

There have been a few thunderstorms over the last week or so, but models suggest that scattered thundery downpours will become a daily feature within the next one to three days.

This would likely continue, leading up to the start of the monsoon and its yearly inundation of coastal western India, the forecaster said.

More Stories on : Climate & Weather | Climate & Weather

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Widespread rain in Kerala as monsoon build-up continues

Delhi-Mumbai calls at 40 paise a minute

Government studying fresh reforms package

Govt clears first FDI proposal in retail sector

Bharat Forge Q4 net up 9.6 pc

Intel unveils low-cost PCs

Market recovers; Sensex closes 341 points up

`Calm and order have returned'

The froth, storm and the calm

He lost a chunk of his savings

NSE feeds on mobile

Rlys may resume wheel imports