Thiruvananthapuram: The India Meteorological Department has predicted heavy rains in isolated places across Kerala from Friday to Monday (May 26-29). As per the forecast, heavy rains accompanied by lightning and gusty winds with a speed reaching from 30-40 km will batter the state.
A yellow alert has been sounded in various districts for the next five days. Pathanamthitta and Idukki districts are placed under yellow alert from Friday to Sunday.
Yellow alert in districts:-
May 26: Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam, Idukki
May 27: Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Idukki
May 28: Pathanamthitta, Idukki
May 29: Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam
As per the alert, heavy rainfall ranging from 64.5 mm to 115.5 mm within 24 hours is expected in these districts.
Earlier, IMD announced that the onset of the Southwest monsoon will be delayed in Kerala this year. Southwest monsoon normally sets in over Kerala on June 1 with a standard deviation of about seven days. IMD has been issuing operational forecasts for the date of monsoon onset over Kerala from 2005 onwards.
Last year, the monsoon reached Kerala on May 29. The operational forecasts of the date of monsoon onset over Kerala during the past 18 years (2005-2022) were proved to be correct except in 2015, the IMD said.
IMD predicts deficient rainfall
Meanwhile, most parts of the country will witness deficient showers in June, except some pockets in peninsular regions such as south Karnataka and northern Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Ladakh, the India Meteorological Department said in its update of the long-range forecast for the season.
The weather office said the warming of the equatorial Pacific Ocean has begun and there was a 90 per cent probability of development of the El Nino phenomenon, which is known to affect monsoon rains in India.
However, a positive Indian Ocean Dipole is likely to develop during the monsoon season which would offset the adverse impact of the El Nino and bring rains to most parts of the country.
(With PTI inputs)
