Monsoon to reach Kerala on June 7

New Delhi, June 04: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) today said that monsoon is likely to hit Kerala on June 7, a day later from MeT department's earlier prediction of June 6.

"Monsoon likely to onset over Kerala during next 96 hours. After onset of Monsoon in Kerala, we will tell about Odisha advancement. In next 24 hrs, there will be thunderstorm activities in isolated places in North and South Odisha," Bhubaneswar MeT department director HR Biswas.

North and south India are expected to have below normal monsoon this season, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its forecast on Friday.

Monsoon rainfall is expected to be "normal" at 96 per cent of the long-term average (LPA), the weather office had earlier said in a statement. The IMD defines average, or normal, rainfall as between 96 per cent and 104 per cent of a 50-year average of 89 centimetres for the entire four-month season beginning June.

Monsoon is categorised as below normal if the LPA is between 90-96 per cent and classified as deficient, if below that. Anything above 110 per cent of the LPA is classified as excess. Region-wise, the seasonal rainfall is likely to be 94 per cent of LPA over northwest India, 100 per cent of LPA over central India, 97 per cent of LPA over southern peninsula and 91 per cent of LPA over northeast India, all with a model error of plus or minus 8 per cent.