Southwest monsoon further advances in Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep, Bay of Bengal: IMD

New Delhi, May 27 (PTI) The monsoon has missed its expected onset date of May 26 in Kerala but has further advanced into some more parts of the southwest and southeast Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep area and Bay of Bengal, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday. The IMD had earlier estimated that the monsoon would arrive in Kerala on May 26 with a model error of +/- four days. The monsoon usually sets over Kerala around June 1, marking the beginning of the monsoon season (June to September) in the country. Last year, the onset of monsoon happened on May 24, according to the department. In a statement, the IMD said, "Conditions are favourable for further advance of southwest monsoon into some more parts of southwest and southeast Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep area, southwest, eastcentral and westcentral Bay of Bengal, remaining parts of southeast Bay of Bengal and some parts of northeast Bay of Bengal during the next 2-3 days." India receives more than 70 per cent of its annual rainfall during the monsoon months, making the season critical for farming, drinking water supply, hydroelectric power generation and groundwater replenishment. In April, the department had said that this year, the southwest monsoon seasonal rainfall over the country is expected to be below normal. India is likely to receive 80 cm of rainfall during the season -- the long-period average (1971-2020) of the seasonal rainfall over India is 87 cm. Below normal seasonal rainfall is expected over most parts of the country, except some areas over Northeast, Northwest, and South Peninsular India, where normal to above normal rainfall can take place. One of the reasons for below normal rainfall could be the emergence of the El Niño conditions, which cause less rainfall in the country. In its monthly forecast on May 1, the department had said that El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO)-neutral conditions over the equatorial Pacific were evolving toward El Niño conditions. The last time the El Niño conditions developed was in 2023. Since 2000, these conditions have emerged in 2002, 2009, and 2015. PTI ALC RT