Even as the country is awaiting the onset of southwest monsoon, the signs of a cyclonic circulation over the Arabian Sea have put a question mark on the initial performance of the monsoon over Kerala and along the west coast.
Though monsoon clouds are visible over Kerala ahead of the onset date of June 4 forecast by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), weather models of various global agencies such as the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecast (ECMRWF), Global Forecast System (GFS) etc., have provided enough hints of cyclone over the Arabian Sea by next week.
IMD senior scientist D. Sivananda Pai says though the signs of cyclonic circulation are visible over the Arabian Sea, there is no certainty it will intensify into a severe cyclonic storm affecting the prospects of the monsoon or increase rainfall along the west coast.
