Monsoon delayed? Kerala sees hold-up despite early IMD prediction

Monsoon might be delayed in India this year as the country reels under scorching heat, with most parts in the north recording a maximum temperature of over 45 degrees.

The Indian Meteorological Department had said in its forecast that monsoons would arrive in the southern state of Kerala on May 26, but the state is still awaiting raindrops to hit its grounds.

The date, however, was a modest forecast as the weather agency traditionally sets June 1 as the onset of the monsoon in Kerala.

Monsoon delayed?

The southwest monsoon, India’s most significant weather system, first makes landfall in Kerala before advancing northward across the country over the next four months, bringing nearly 70 per cent of India’s annual rainfall.

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The arrival of the monsoon in the southern coastal state marks the official onset of the rainy season, ushering in cooler temperatures, strong winds, and widespread showers across India.

This year, the monsoon was initially expected to reach Kerala earlier than usual, around May 26. However, real-time weather assessments now indicate a delayed onset, likely between June 2 and 4, about one to three days later than the normal arrival date.

Heatwave in Delhi

Delhi recorded its warmest night for the month of May in nearly 14 years on Monday as the minimum temperature settled at 32.4 degrees Celsius, 5.7 degrees above the season's normal.

The last time the minimum temperature was higher in this month was on May 26, 2012, when it was recorded at 32.5 degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The city had witnessed similar conditions earlier this month as the minimum temperature stood at 31.9 degrees Celsius on May 21 this year, the IMD data showed.

"Warm night conditions have been recorded at Safdarjung, Lodi Road and Ayanagar," an IMD official said.

Diplomats feel the heat, literally

Under the harsh sunrays, Quad foreign ministers held a summit in Delhi. Two days after facing the Delhi heat, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday faced the scorching summer in Agra, where the temperature soared to 45 degrees Celsius.

At the US embassy, Rubio on Saturday admitted that while he was used to his hometown Miami, the summer in Delhi was on an entirely different level.

“Although I’m from Miami, there is a humid hot and then there’s this hot," said Rubio.

On Tuesday, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi also felt the heat during his visit to the national capital.