India weather update: Relief from heatwave likely before raging June heat; monsoon expected over Kerala soon

India's raging summer temperatures are expected to come down by the end of this month but will rise again for a few days during the beginning of June, the meteorological department said on Monday (May 27). The relief is that the southwest monsoon is progressing normally and the conditions are suitable for its onset along the Kerala coast in the next five days.

But all is not well as far as the forecast of raging temperatures is concerned. The Indian Meteorological Department has warned of above-normal heatwave days over north and northwest India in June.

"Against a normal of three days, heatwave spells lasting 3 to 6 days is likely next month," Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director general, IMD, was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

What does it mean?

It means that the heatwaves would affect Rajasthan, Punjab, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and northern Madhya Pradesh. Additionally, warm and humid nights will persistin these states.

The normal date formonsoon onset over Kerala is June 1.

Monsoon had already advanced over India's Andaman Sea on May 19.

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Besides, the ‘severe’ cyclone Remal, which hit the West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts on Sunday night, will not have any adverse impact on the advancement of the southwest monsoon.

Cyclone Remal to cause heavy rainfall in northeast India

Cyclone Remal is on land for well over 24 hours. But it's still keeping up with the wind speed of a cyclonic storm while directed towards northeast India.

Meghalaya, Assam and neighbouring areas are under a ‘red’ alert ahead of very heavy rainfall associated with this storm on May 28 and 29.

“The cyclone being a translational event and Remal lasting for three days has had a temporary effect but it has helped the advance of the monsoon over the Bay of Bengal. Now, with the further increasing inflow, depth and strength of southwest monsoon winds, there are favourable conditions developing for the advancement of the southwest monsoon over Kerala expected during the next five days,” said Mohapatra.

"Monsoon advancement over the southern peninsular India this year is likely to be normal,” the IMD chief said.

Rainfall forecast during monsoon weeks

The Met Department maintained that the country’s seasonal rainfall this year will be 106 per cent of the Long Period Average (LPA) which is 880.6mm (as per 1971 – 2020 data).

However, some of the states and Union Territories are expected to receive below-normal monsoon rainfall.They are Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, northern Uttarakhand, Odisha, southern Jharkhand and southern Chhattisgarh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh.

The rest of the country, according to the IMD forecast, will receive normal or above-normal rainfall during June andSeptember.

(With inputs from agencies)