No more waiting: Monsoon arrives in Kerala

Southwest Monsoon hit India on Thursday with its onset over Kerala, a week after the normal date of June 1, said India Meteorological Department (IMD).
“It has advanced into the remaining parts of the South Arabian Sea and some parts of the Central Arabian Sea, the entire Lakshadweep area, most parts of Kerala, most parts of South Tamil Nadu, the remaining parts of the Comorin area, Gulf of Mannar, some more parts of Southwest, and Central and Northeast Bay of Bengal from today onwards,” the IMD said in a statement. There has been widespread rainfall over Kerala during the past 24 hours.
IMD predicted in a statement yesterday that meteorological conditions were becoming favourable for the onset of monsoon over Kerala during the next 48 hours.
“Furthermore, conditions are favourable for further advance of the Southwest monsoon into some more parts of the Central Arabian Sea, the remaining parts of Kerala, some more parts of Tamil Nadu, some parts of Karnataka and some more parts of Southwest, Central and northeast Bay of Bengal and some parts of Northeastern states during next 48 hours,” added the the weather department statement.
IMD had in May predicted the arrival of monsoon on June 4.
Southwest monsoon normally sets in over Kerala on June 1 with a standard deviation of about seven days.
Monsoon is crucial, especially for kharif crops dependent on rains. India has three cropping seasons — summer, kharif and rabi.