Monsoon arrives early in Kerala today amid heavy rains and flooding in the state!

Thursday, May 30: Intense rains and a cloudburst event earlier this week, likely triggered by Cyclone Remal, had parts of Kerala drowning in floodwater. But just as the state stuck its head out to catch a breath, another batch of dousing may very well drag them under once again.

While Kerala has opened over 30 relief camps to accommodate around 2,000 people, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has announced that the southwest monsoon has made onset over the state today.

This onset over Kerala marks the southwest monsoon’s arrival over the Indian mainland and serves as a vital indicator characterising the transition from hot and dry season to a rainy season. The southwest monsoon normally sets in over Kerala on June 1, with a standard deviation of about seven days and it then progresses to other states before covering the entire country by July 8.

After being a week late last year, the monsoon has arrived slightly early this year. At present, a shear zone runs over South Peninsular India while strong westerly winds prevail along the Kerala coast.

Under their combined influence, heavy rains (64.5 mm-115.4 mm) are likely to pelt Kerala and Mahe during the next five days. In this duration, up to widespread, moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning are also expected in the region over the next seven days.

Given these forecasts, an orange alert has been issued over Kerala today so as to urge locals to ‘be prepared’ for the intense weather conditions. This will be followed by a yellow alert (meaning ‘be updated’) for the rest of the forecast period.

Orange and yellow alerts have also been issued at the district-level over Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam. Furthermore, fisherfolk have been strictly advised against venturing into sea during the next few days owing to the possibility of rough sea conditions.

As Kerala continues to grapple with the after-effects of flooding and property damage, the next few days are going to be extremely crucial for the residents of the state. According to one of the state’s new outlets, the demand for raincoats has gone up significantly. On an estimate, Kerala witnessed a sale of ₹250 crore just this rainy season. But if the kind of intensity that’s predicted this time is anything to go by, the locals are going to need more than just a sturdy umbrella and raincoat to withstand the upcoming season.