The southwest monsoon is poised to enter Kerala on May 31, potentially leading to a timely commencement of the rainy season in Mumbai. According to an Indian Express report citing an Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) official, monsoon rains are anticipated to arrive in the metro city from June 10. Enhanced rainfall activity in Kerala during the last fortnight of May has prompted the prediction of the monsoon’s entry into the state on May 31, with a possible deviation of four days. The IMD’s weather bulletin issued on Thursday stated, “Rainfall activity over Kerala is likely to increase towards the end of week 1 and beginning of week 2, resulting in the probable onset of Monsoon over Kerala around May 31 with ±4 days. Overall rainfall activity is expected to be above normal over east & northeast India, near normal over central & south Peninsular India, and below normal over northwest India.”
While an official announcement regarding the monsoon’s arrival in Mumbai is yet to be made, the near-normal monsoon onset in Kerala and the lack of anticipated cyclones over the Arabian Sea or the Bay of Bengal create favorable conditions for a timely commencement of monsoon showers in Mumbai. The IE predicts that the monsoon, which has already entered the Andaman Islands, will reach Mumbai between June 10 and 11.