Monsoon to hit Pune in a week

“The onset of monsoon in Kerala,earlier announced on May 30,came a day late. However,as we had given four days as the error margin,it was expected to come between May 26 and June 3. Considering all this,we declared the onset of the monsoon over Kerala on May 31. However,with a depression in the Arabian Sea forming into a cyclone,the wind direction would determine its further progress. It is expected to reach Karnataka and Goa in the next 48 hours,” said Medha Khole,director,weather central,India Meteorological Department (IMD) Pune.

With the earlier date of June 6 being given by the IMD,Khole said the state would witness pre-monsoon showers for the next 48 hours but for the progress of the south west monsoon,the wind direction of the cyclone will determine whether it would come within a week or later.

The Met department declared the onset of the southwest monsoon over Kerala after assessing the rainfall at 14 stations. The rainfall has to be 2.5 mm or more for two consecutive days. The rainfall monitoring stations reported widespread rainfall of 84 per cent and 74 per cent for May 30 and 31 while the wind speed was 600 hpa. The Met department has also forecast that conditions are favourable for further advance of monsoon into some parts of central Arabian Sea,coastal and south interior Karnataka and Goa.