Monsoon knocks on Kerala's door; IMD issues heavy rain, thunderstorm alerts across India
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500+ questions on Geography with explanations
📌 Summary:
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IMD has forecast onset of Southwest Monsoon over Kerala around June 4, 2026; normal onset date is June 1
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Monsoon currents are strengthening over the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal; both branches active
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Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall (7–20 cm) predicted over Kerala until June 8; Orange warning for Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur on June 3
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Thunderstorms with strong winds expected across several states; rough sea conditions advised along southern coastline — fishermen warned against venturing into the sea
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Wider implications: monsoon timing critical for kharif sowing (rice, pulses, oilseeds, cotton); reservoir filling; hydro power generation; ~52% of India's cultivated land is rain-fed
🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS1 — Geography (monsoon mechanism, climate phenomena); GS3 — Agriculture (impact on kharif), Disaster Management (heavy rain alerts).
📝 Prelims Facts:
- IMD: founded 1875, HQ New Delhi; under Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES)
- Southwest Monsoon has two branches: Arabian Sea branch (hits Kerala first) and Bay of Bengal branch (advances over NE India and reaches Kolkata around June 10)
- IMD warning colour code: Green (no action), Yellow (watch), Orange (be prepared), Red (take action)
- Orange alert = 6.5–20 cm rainfall in 24 hours
🔑 Key Term: Monsoon Onset over Kerala (MOK) — declared by IMD when ≥60% of 14 designated weather stations in Kerala/Karnataka report ≥2.5 mm rain for two consecutive days, accompanied by westerly winds and OLR criteria.
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