Monsoon likely to arrive five days late on June 6: Met dept

NEW DELHI: The monsoon is likely to be delayed this year as its arrival expected on June 6, five days after its normal onset date, the India Meteorological Department said on Wednesday.

As per the trend, normally Monsoon gives a boost to India's farm-dependent economy arrives on the southern tip of Kerala around June 1 and retreats from Rajasthan by September.

However, India Meteorological Department (IMD) director general KJ Ramesh has told Millennium Post that the Monsoon is arriving in the country on schedule. "There is no delay. The Monsoon is arriving in Kerala as per the trench. The normal schedule of the arrival of Monsoon in Kerala is of June 5 with a model error of ± 4 days," Ramesh said.

"Prior to its arrival in Kerala, the Monsoon will arrive in South Andaman on April 18-19, which is very much on time. There is no delay till Andaman, while some little variation is there in Kerala," the IMD chief said.

Commenting on the range of the monsoon, Ramesh said, "The Monsoon is set to be normal as there is no change in the assessment. It would become more after the second assessment that will come in the first week of June."

Last year, Monsoon had arrived in Kerala on May 29, three days ahead of the normal onset date and the rainfall was below normal.