Monsoon rains soak Andamans, mainland waits

Expected In Kerala Before May 30

New Delhi: The much-awaited south-west monsoon on Monday brought first showers to the Andaman and Nicobar islands, setting the stage for its early progression towards Kerala.
    “South-west monsoon has set in over parts of south Bay of Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and most parts of Andaman Sea,” Ajit Tyagi, director general of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
    He said a depression in the Bay of Bengal was expected to pull the monsoonal flow towards the mainland and it may reach Kerala earlier than May 30. Last week, IMD had issued a forecast stating that monsoon could reach Kerala by May 30.
    The onset of monsoon has now set the stage for the four-month rainfall season that has been eagerly awaited by the farm community who had to bear the brunt of a severe drought last year.
    The weather office said conditions were favourable for further advance of monsoon over more parts of Bay of Bengal and remaining parts of Andaman Sea during next two days.
    The IMD last month forecast normal rainfall for this year with a precipitation of 98% of the Long Period Average, subject to a model error of plus or minus 5% for the entire season (from June to September).
    Last year, the weather office had forecast a rainfall of 94% plus or minus 5% in April and then finetuned it to 93% plus or minus 4%. But, the country received a rainfall of 78% of the LPA only for the season.
    The normal monsoon forecast is expected to bring cheers to over 235 million farmers who had faced drought last year due to failed monsoon.
    A good monsoon could help in sowing of rice, sugarcane, soyabean and corn and lead to a rebound in the agricultural output. AGENCIES
But Delhi at 45°C season’s hottest
New Delhi: The capital on Monday sizzled as the mercury climbed to the season’s highest of 45.4° Celsius. This was also the highest temperature in May in the past eight years. Monday’s maximum 4° above normal for this point of time. The minimum touched 28.2°C as against Tuesday’s 25.6°C. The humidity oscillating between 15 and 59% added to the woes. AGENCIES