Depression over Bay of Bengal to bring early monsoon

The onset of the southwest monsoon is likely to advance further due to a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal, which is expected to turn into a "severe cyclonic storm" by tomorrow night, the MeT department said today.

The MeT department said that rains were likely to begin in Kerala by May 30-31, marking the onset of monsoon in the country. Earlier this week, Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) M Rajeevan said conditions were favourable for the advancement of monsoon to May 30. India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General K J Ramesh said the deep depression would help in the advancement of monsoon over Kerala and northeast India. "Conditions are favourable for further advance of southwest monsoon into some parts of southeast Arabian Sea, Maldives area, some more parts of Comorin area, southwest Bay of Bengal and east central Bay of Bengal, remaining parts of southeast Bay of Bengal and some parts of west central and northeast Bay of Bengal during the next 24 hours.

The deep depression is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by May 29-30 and cross Chittagong by the noon of May 30.