Monsoon to be delayed by five days; to hit Kerala on June 6

Conditions are becoming favourable for advance of southwest monsoon over the southern part of Andaman Sea, Nicobar Islands and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal during May 18-19, the IMD said.

Monsoon will hit the Kerala coast on June 6, five days after its normal onset date, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Wednesday.

"This year, the statistical model forecast suggests that the monsoon onset over Kerala is likely to be slightly delayed.

“The southwest monsoon onset is likely to set over Kerala on 6th June with a model error of plus or minus 4 days," the IMD said.

The normal onset date for monsoon over Kerala is June 1, which also marks the start of the four-month rainfall season.

"Conditions are becoming favourable for advance of southwest monsoon over the southern part of Andaman Sea, Nicobar Islands and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal during May 18-19," the IMD said.

On Tuesday, private weather agency Skymet said the monsoon would hit the Kerala coast on June 4, with an error margin of two days.

Photograph: Cathal McNaughton/Reuters