Southwest monsoon expected to reach Kerala early next week

New Delhi, May 20: After an early arrival over Andaman & Nicobar islands, south-west monsoon is racing towards the mainland with the weather office forecasting onset over Kerala by the middle of next week.

"Conditions will continue to be favourable for further progress leading to onset of Southwest Monsoon over Kerala towards end of the week," the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday evening.

If the onset of southwest monsoon over Kerala happens this weekend, it will be the earliest onset in recent years. Monsoon had reached Kerala on May 23 in 2009.

Earlier, the weather office had forecast the onset of monsoon over Kerala by May 27, five days ahead of the normal onset date of June 1.

"Due to strong westerly flow from Arabian Sea and trough over south Peninsula India, light/moderate fairly widespread to widespread rainfall activity likely over southwest Peninsular India and isolated to scattered rainfall over rest peninsular India," the weather office said.

It said isolated heavy rainfall is also likely over Kerala, Coastal & South Interior Karnataka during many days of the week.

Several parts of Kerala, Mahe, adjoining Karnataka and Lakshadweep have received fairly widespread to widespread rainfall/thunderstorm activity for four to five days during the week.

After a brief respite, temperatures shot up across north-west India on Thursday with Barmer reporting 47.1 degrees Celsius, the highest maximum temperature in the country.

At least 16 cities reported highest maximum temperatures of 45 degrees Celsius or more.

A western disturbance over Afghanistan is expected to move slowly towards north Pakistan on Friday and east-northeastwards across the western Himalayan region, bringing rains to Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand over the weekend.

"Isolated to scattered light rainfall with thunderstorm/lightning/gusty winds very likely over Punjab, Haryana, North Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh during May 20 to 24 with scattered to fairly widespread light rainfall over the region on May 23," the weather office said.