Skymet, IMD differ on monsoon arrival date

Private weather forecaster Skymet announced the arrival of the southwest monsoon in Kerala on Monday even as updates by the IMD remained in line with its original prediction of May 29.

Skymet said all requisite criteria for declaration of the monsoon’s onset — rainfall, wind field and outgoing long radiation — were met. The criterion on rainfall stipulates that if after May 10, 60% of the 14 available stations record a rainfall in the excess of 2.5 mm for two consecutive days, the onset over Kerala could be declared on the second day, in concurrence with the two other criteria. The 14 listed stations are Minicoy, Amini, Thiruvananthapuram, Punalur, Kollam, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Kochi, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Thalassery, Kannur, Kudlu and Mangaluru.

Skymet said the well-marked low pressure area in Arabian Sea would help the monsoon gather pace.