Next Story
Newszop

Monsoon reaches south Bay of Bengal, Nicobar Islands, says IMD

Send Push
NEW DELHI: The India Meteorological Department announced that the southwest monsoon has advanced into parts of south Bay of Bengal, south Andaman Sea, Nicobar Islands and north Andaman Sea on Tuesday, with moderate to heavy rainfall reported in Nicobar Islands over the past two days. The monsoon is expected to reach Kerala by May 27, ahead of its usual June 1 arrival.

The weather department observed increased strength and depth of westerly winds over the region, with speeds exceeding 20 knots at 1.5 km above sea level and extending up to 4.5 km in some areas. The Outgoing Longwave Radiation, which indicates cloudiness, decreased over the region, meeting the criteria for monsoon's onset.

Conditions are favorable for the monsoon to advance further into more parts of the south Arabian Sea, Maldives and Comorin area, south Bay of Bengal, entire Andaman and Nicobar Islands, remaining parts of the Andaman Sea, and parts of the central Bay of Bengal over the next three to four days.

If the monsoon arrives in Kerala as predicted, it will mark the earliest onset over the Indian mainland since 2009, when it began on May 23.

The southwest monsoon typically makes its onset over Kerala by June 1 and covers the entire country by July 8. It begins retreating from northwest India around September 17 and completes its withdrawal by October 15.

In April, the IMD forecast above-normal cumulative rainfall for the 2025 monsoon season. They ruled out the possibility of El Niño conditions, which are typically associated with below-normal rainfall in the Indian subcontinent.

The monsoon holds crucial importance for India's agricultural sector, which supports 42 percent of the population's livelihood and contributes approximately 18 percent to the country's GDP. The rainfall is also vital for replenishing reservoirs essential for drinking water and power generation across the country.
Loving Newspoint? Download the app now