Monsoon update: Expected in 24 hours

Thiruvananthapuram, June 07: India Meteorological Department (IMD), which had earlier predicted that Monsoon would arrive in Kerala on June 6 and then postponed the prediction to June 7, today said it would hit in the next 24 hours. The South West Monsoon is already a week late than it usually does.

Monsoon was likely to hit Kerala today, a day later from MeT department's earlier prediction of June 6. In view of the monsoon, orange and yellow alerts have been sounded in several districts in Kerala in the coming days. The orange alert has been sounded Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha and Ernakulam districts.

This year's monsoon faces the risk of El Nino, which dries up the weather in India because of the adverse impact of the warming up of the equatorial Pacific Ocean.

Last month, announcing the expected day of monsoon arrival over Kerala, the IMD had said it could happen on June 6, with an error margin of plus or minus four days

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 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.

Meanwhile, North India has been reeling under intense heatwave which is said to persist. The mercury showed temperatures around 47 degrees Celsius in many North Indian states like Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh on Thursday.