IT’S RAINING HOPE

Monsoon progress tardy, but rains may hit Kerala on time

 

Pune: The southwest monsoon may not have made any progress in the last five days but its chances of reaching Kerala on time are bright, says the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
    “Rapid progress of the monsoon is still possible,” Medha Khole, director (weather forecasting), IMD, told TOI. “The wind field is currently not favourable for the progress of the monsoon. However, this can change in the next 48 hours.” Khole pointed out that factors such as wind speed, wind depth and wind direction were part of the wind field. She said cyclone Laila played no role in the present halt of the monsoon.
    The normal date for the arrival of monsoon in Kerala is June 1. The IMD expects the monsoon to reach there around May 30. After reaching the Andamans, the monsoon usually takes around 10 days to reach Kerala. The monsoon hit the Andamans on May 17, three days ahead of normal time.
    The monsoon is expected to advance over some parts of the south Arabian Sea, remaining parts of the southwest Bay of Bengal and some parts of westcentral, east-central and north Bay of Bengal in the next 72 hours, IMD officials said. The present halt of the monsoon is temporary and a normal phenomenon, the officials explained.
    Last year, the monsoon had advanced over the South Andaman Sea on May 20. However, it made fast progress to reach Kerala on May 23, one week before its scheduled arrival. But its progress was stalled by cyclonic storm Aila, which had developed in the Bay of Bengal on May 23.