Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : Southwest Monsoon set in over Kerala on June 1, 2020, coinciding with its normal date. Widespread rainfall occurred over Kerala during past 2 days. More than 70% of the 14 rainfall monitoring stations for Monsoon onset over Kerala reported rainfall during last 48 hours.
Westerly winds have strengthened in lower levels (wind speed up to 20 knots) and deepened up to 4.5 km over the south Arabian Sea. There is persistent convection (cloudiness indicated by Outgoing Longwave Radiation values <200 Wm-2) from satellite imagery and coastal Doppler Weather Radars since May 27, 2020, onwards.
In addition to the above features, a low pressure area had formed over Southeast & adjoining Eastcentral Arabian Sea and Lakshadweep area on May 31, 2020, which intensified into a depression over eastcentral and adjoining southeast Arabian Sea on June 1, 2020, morning, according to a PIB release.
If after May 10, 60% of the available 14 stations viz. Minicoy, Amini, Thiruvananthapuram, Punalur, Kollam, Alapuzha, Kottayam, Kochi, Vellanikkara (Thrissur), Kozhikode, Thalassery, Kannur, Kudulu (Kasargod), and Mangaluru, report rainfall of 2.5 mm or more for two consecutive days, the onset over Kerala be declared on the 2nd day.