Monsoon expected to hit Kerala coast in next two days: IMD

New Delhi: The much-awaited southwest monsoon is expected to hit the Kerala coast in next two days, that is on 9 June. However, there is going to be “no significant” change in the temperatures in northwest India for the next five days, which is reeling under intense heat. [caption id=“attachment_2811460” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Reuters[/caption] “In view of the strengthening of cross equatorial flow and deepening of westerlies over South Arabian sea and development of feeble off-shore trough along Karnataka-Kerala coast, onset of (southwest) monsoon over Kerala is very likely by June 9,” IMD said in its mid-day bulletin The IMD had earlier said that monsoon should hit the Kerala coast on 7 June , with an error margin of plus or minus four days. Meanwhile, heavy pre-monsoon rains have been lashing several places in Kerala and Lakshadweep since Tuesday morning. According to the weather station, heavy rainfall was reported in Quilandy in Kozhikode district- eight cm and Peringamala in Thiruvananthapuram district- seven cm followed by Aryankavu (Kollam district), Vaikom (Kottayam district) and Nedumangad (Thiruvananthapuram district)- six cm each. As strong winds from south westerly direction, with speed occasionally reaching 45-55 kmph, is likely along and off Kerala coasts and over Lakshadweep area during the next 24 hours, fishermen should be vigilant, the bulletin added. Thunderstorms accompanied with squall are very likely at isolated places over Telangana and north interior Karnataka. Meanwhile, rains also lashed many parts of Tamil Nadu in the last 24 hours ending 8.30 hours on Tuesday, the regional weather office said. Summer rains accompanied with lightning and thunder werewitnessed in many parts of the state including Chennai, it said, adding, Sembarambakkam recorded the highest rainfall of five cm, followed by Chennai at four cm. The weather office forecast rain at a few places in South Tamil Nadu and over one or two places in the northern parts of the state for the next 48 hours. Thunderstorms were likely in Chennai during the period, it said. “Heavy to very heavy rains are also likely at isolated places over sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura,” it said. However, heatwave conditions are “very likely” to prevail over isolated places in Rajasthan and west and east Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, south Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat.