Visakhapatnam: The much awaited Southwest Monsoons set in over Nicobar Islands, the southernmost region of the country, and South Bay of Bengal on Sunday.
According to the Meteorological Department Amaravathi report, the southwest monsoon had advanced into some parts of the Maldives, the Comorin area and some parts of the South Bay of Bengal, Nicobar Islands and South Andaman Sea. It is expected to reach Kerala by May 31.
The report said the low pressure would be formed over Bay of Bengal on May 22 and intensify into a depression by May 24. It forecast thunderstorms till May 23.
The rain-bearing system arrived in the southern state on June 8 last year, May 29 in 2022, June 3 in 2021 and June 1 in 2020.
Last month, IMD forecast above-normal rain in the monsoon season in India with favorable La Nina conditions, cooling of equatorial Pacific Ocean. These are expected to set in by August-Sept. La Nina conditions help in a good monsoon season over India.
Large parts of the country are battling a brutal heat wave with maximum temperatures touching 48 degrees Celsius, shattering records in several states and severely impacting health and livelihoods.
The Rayalaseema region experienced the worst heat wave spells in April, recording the country's highest temperature.
Under these conditions, the prediction of above-normal monsoonal rainfall comes as a huge relief. The monsoon is critical for India's agricultural landscape, with 52 per cent of the net cultivated area relying on it. It is also crucial for replenishing reservoirs critical for drinking water, apart from power generation across the country.
