India Reels Under Heatwave: When Will Monsoon Reach Kerala? IMD Scientist Says, 'Westerly Winds Are Not Very Strong...'

(MENAFN- Live Mint) As heavy rain and strong winds battered parts of Kerala, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday issued an orange alert for one district and yellow alerts for 11 others across the state.

The IMD issued the orange alert for Ernakulam district, warning of very heavy rainfall during the day.

Yellow alerts were declared in 11 districts, excluding Palakkad and Wayanad.

An orange alert indicates very heavy rainfall between 11 cm and 20 cm, while a yellow alert signifies heavy rainfall ranging from 6 cm to 11 cm.

Also Read | IMD predicts rain, thunderstorm in Bengaluru today; check forecast for next week

Meanwhile, the IMD has predicted an early onset of the monsoon which is expected to land in the state on May 26.

It had also predicted isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall over parts of Kerala between May 28 and June 3.

IMD Scientist Neetha K Gopal says,“Monsoon onset has not taken place because from yesterday 8:30 to today 8:30 morning, is what we call one day's rainfall. For monsoon onset to happen, one important criterion... There are 14 rainfall monitoring stations in Lakshadweep, Kerala, and one station from Karnataka, that is, Mangalore.”

She added,“So, consecutively for 2 days, at least 60% of stations should report 2.5 mm of rainfall. Then the second day is declared as the onset of the monsoon. North Kerala did not receive much rain, so the rainfall criteria are not being met today... The westerly winds are not very strong over the North Kerala coast, and so they also have to build up. It has to gain strength as well as depth. That is another issue... the monsoon will not be declared today... the 26th is the official forecast, but we may not be declaring the onset today or tomorrow.”

Delhi records warmest May night in nearly 14 years

Delhi recorded its warmest May night in nearly 14 years on Monday, with the minimum temperature settling at 32.4 degrees Celsius, which was 5.7 degrees above normal for the season.

According to the IMD, the last time the city experienced a higher minimum temperature in May was on May 26, 2012, when it touched 32.5 degrees Celsius.

The city had seen similar weather conditions earlier this month as well, with the minimum temperature recorded at 31.9 degrees Celsius on May 21, according to IMD data.

Also Read | Delhi sees hottest May night in nearly 14 years; IMD issues yellow alert

The IMD has issued a yellow alert for heatwave conditions on Monday, with the maximum temperature likely to hover around 44 degrees Celsius.

Delhi also witnessed mild dust storms during the evening hours on Sunday, leading to a deterioration in air quality. The city's Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 206 in the 'poor' category at 9 am on Monday.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.

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