New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram (Keralam) [India], June 4 (ANI): The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday officially announced the onset of the Southwest Monsoon over Keralam, marking the commencement of the four-month rainfall season, offering respite from a gruelling heatwave.

While the normal date for the monsoon's arrival is June 1, this year the onset was recorded on June 4, a delay of three days.

The monsoon has successfully covered the entire Lakshadweep islands, Keralam, and Mahe. It has also advanced into the remaining parts of the Southwest and Southeast Arabian Sea.

Conditions are favourable for further advance of southwest monsoon into some more parts of the central Arabian Sea, entire Goa, some parts of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, some more parts of Karnataka, remaining parts of Tamil Nadu, the Southwest Bay of Bengal, some more parts of Westcentral, Eastcentral and Northeast Bay of Bengal, some parts of Northeastern states during the next two to three days.

The IMD stated that India is expected to see 90% of the long-period average (LPA) this year.

During the past two days, convective cloudiness had increased over the Southeast Arabian Sea. The depth of westerlies over the Southeast Arabian Sea extends upto 4.5 km above mean sea level. The strength of the Westerlies in the lower levels is about 20-25 knots. There has been widespread rainfall with isolated heavy rainfall over Kerala during the past two days.

Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall (7-20cm) very likely over Kerala and isolated heavy rainfall over Tamil Nadu and Karnataka during next 6-7 days, the IMD said.

Meanwhile, Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 29.7 degrees Celsius on Thursday with the weather office issuing a yellow alert for rain and thunderstorms. (ANI)