Southwest monsoon hits Maharashtra in earliest onset in 35 years
The southwest monsoon made an early arrival in Maharashtra on Sunday, marking the earliest onset in the state in 35 years, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
According to PTI, this is the earliest the monsoon has reached Maharashtra since May 20, 1990.
IMD scientist Sushma Nair confirmed the development.
The southwest monsoon typically sets in over Maharashtra around June 7 and reaches Mumbai by June 11, with the season spanning June to September.
The IMD declares the monsoon’s onset when it hits Kerala, usually around June 1.
This year, however, the monsoon arrived in Kerala on May 24, eight days ahead of schedule, marking the earliest onset there since 2009.
On Sunday, the monsoon advanced into additional parts of Karnataka, all of Goa, parts of Maharashtra, and further areas of Mizoram, Manipur, and Nagaland, the IMD reported.
Favorable conditions are likely to drive the monsoon’s progression over the next three days into more parts of the central Arabian Sea, additional regions of Maharashtra, including Mumbai, Karnataka, including Bengaluru, parts of Andhra Pradesh, the remaining areas of Tamil Nadu, sections of the west-central and North Bay of Bengal, and more Northeastern states.
Red alert in Kerala for heavy rainfall
On Monday, the IMD issued a red alert for extremely heavy rainfall in 11 Kerala districts: Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod.
An orange alert was issued for Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram, and Alappuzha.
Authorities declared a holiday for educational institutions in 10 districts, as reported by Mathrubhumi.
Heavy rain alert in Telangana
The IMD also forecast heavy rainfall for eight districts in Telangana on Monday.
The affected districts include Adilabad, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Vikarabad, Sangareddy, Medak, Kamareddy, and Mahabubnagar.
Hyderabad and surrounding areas are expected to receive moderate rainfall.
The early monsoon onset and intense rainfall warnings highlight the need for preparedness across affected regions, with authorities closely monitoring the situation.
