Monsoon on course, to hit Kerala within 24 hours

The monsoon is on schedule and is expected to hit Kerala in the next 24 hours, according to the Meteorological department.

"Conditions are favourable for the onset of southwest monsoon over Kerala and its further advance into some more parts of south Arabian sea, remaining parts of Maldives - Comorin area, some parts of Tamil Nadu and some more parts of Bay of Bengal during the next 24 hours," said a statement by the Indian Meteorological Department.

"Conditions are also favourable for the advance of southwest monsoon into some parts of northeastern states during the next 48 hours," it said.

The Met department forecast states the monsoon is expected to hit Kerala by June 5.

Thunderstorms have been observed over Odisha, Assam, Konkan and Goa, coastal Karnataka and south Kerala, the department said.

After four years of normal and above-normal monsoon, India is expected to have below normal monsoon this year with rainfall projected to be around 95 per cent, which is disappointing for the farming community.

Officials in the weather department said the monsoon is expected to be below normal because of El-Nino effect, which is generally associated with the warming of ocean water.