Cyclonic circulations persists over Punjab and the Arabian Sea off Karnataka coast, IMD has said.
The onset of the annual monsoon over the Indian subcontinent has been delayed by two days. It is now expected to hit the Kerala coast on June 3, the weather department said today.
"As per the latest meteorological indications, the southwesterly winds could strengthen further gradually from June 1, resulting in a likely enhancement in rainfall activity over Kerala. Hence, the monsoon onset over Kerala is likely to take place by June 3, 2021," a government release said today, citing India Meteorological Department (IMD) data.
Isolated heavy rainfall over Kerala and Mahe may continue, though.
The cyclonic circulation over Punjab and its neighbourhood extending upto 1.5 kilometres above the mean sea level persists. So does the one over east-central Arabian Sea off Karnataka coast, at 3.1 kilometres above sea level, the government release has said.
However, the monsoon itself has been delayed because the "south-westerly winds have not strengthened," according to IMD chief Dr M Mohapatra.
"We expect the situation to start improving from June 1, leading to the onset of Monsoon over Kerala on June 3, 2021," Dr Mohapatra told NDTV.
Nearly half of India's farmland has no irrigation and depends on the annual June-September rains to grow crops such as rice, corn, cane, cotton, and soybean.
Last month, IMD had said the monsoon would be average this year, raising expectations of higher farm output, which is central to the country's economy.