The southwest monsoon has reached Kerala, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday. While this is three days before the usual onset date of June 1, it is two days later than what the IMD had earlier forecast on May 13.
Rainfall is not the only criteria that the IMD relies on to declare the monsoon’s onset. Windspeeds of a minimum strength and depth in the atmosphere, the Outgoing Longwave Radiation — a measure of cloudiness — and rainfall appearing to be consistent and well distributed over Kerala, are important criteria.
Until Saturday, most of these parameters — except sufficient rainfall over Kerala — were fulfilled.
