Thiruvananthapuram: Heavy rain, accompanied with lightning and wind, will continue in the state till Monday, as per an India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast.
A yellow alert has been issued for 10 districts on Friday - Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Malappuram, Palakkad, and Wayanad districts.
On Saturday, a yellow alert has been issued for Pathanamthitta, Idukki, Malappuram, and Palakkad districts.
As per the rainfall recorded from Wednesday morning till Thursday morning, Thiruvananthapuram district received the highest rainfall (2.51cm) in the state.
The summer showers in the state have brought respite from the scorching heat. The temperature recorded in Palakkad was 31.5 degrees Celsius.
Squally weather with wind speed reaching up to 40-50kmph is likely along the Kerala coast, adjoining south-east Arabian Sea and the Lakshadweep coast on Friday. Hence, the authorities have advised the fisherfolk not to venture out into the sea off the Kerala-Lakshadweep coasts.
IMD monsoon forecast
Meamwhile, the IMD has predicted normal rainfall during the southwest monsoon in the country for the fourth consecutive year, but Kerala is likely to receive below normal rainfall.
In its first long range forecast released on Thursday, the IMD predicted that Kerala, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and north-east states will receive below normal rainfall during the months of July and August. Though heavy rainfall is predicted initially, the rainfall will decrease in Kerala once the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) becomes active. However, a clear picture on the monsoon will be available only after the second long range forecast by May end, IMD chief Dr M Mohapatra said.
Private weather forecast agency Skymet had also predicted that Kerala will receive below normal rainfall. Therefore, the state should properly utilise the summer showers, experts point out. Experts also guage that the flood-like situations of the previous years are unlikely to recur this year.
Long Period Average rainfall now at 87 cm
The IMD has revised the Long Period Average (LPA) for all-India monsoon rainfall. The rainfall received in the country during the 50 years from 1971 to 2021 has been revised to 87cm. From 1961 till 2010, the LPA was pegged at 88cm. The LPA rainfall is updated every 10 years. The LPA was updated by compiling data from 4132 rain gauge stations in 703 districts over a period of 50 years.
