Conditions favourable for monsoon onset in next 48 hours: IMD

Meteorological conditions are becoming favourable for the onset of monsoon over Kerala during the next 48 hours, India's weather office India Meteorological Office (IMD) said in a statement on Wednesday.

IMD had in May predicted the arrival of monsoon on June 4.

Southwest monsoon normally sets in over Kerala on June 1 with a standard deviation of about seven days.

The conditions are also favourable for further advance of monsoon into some more parts of the South Arabian Sea, the entire Lakshadweep, some more parts of Southwest, Central and Northeast Bay of Bengal and some parts of Northeastern states during the next 48 hours, the IMD said.

Monsoon is crucial, especially for Kharif crops dependent on rains. India has three cropping seasons -- summer, kharif and rabi.

Crops sown during June-July and harvested in October-November are kharif. Crops that are sown during October and November and the produce harvested from January-March depending on maturity is Rabi. Crops produced between rabi and kharif are summer crops.

Meanwhile, severe cyclonic storm 'Biparjoy' over east-central and adjoining southeast Arabian Sea around Goa is likely to intensify into a 'very severe cyclonic storm' during the next 12 hours.

"It is very likely to intensify into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm during the next 12 hours. It would move nearly northwards during the next 24 hours and then north-northwestwards during subsequent three days," IMD said.

Fishermen are advised not to venture in such cyclone-hit areas in the Arabian Sea and those who are out at sea are advised to return to the coast.

In other forecasts, IMD said heat wave conditions likely to continue over Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana during the next 4-5 days.

Heatwave is a condition of air temperature which becomes fatal to the human body when exposed, according to IMD.

The heat wave is considered if the maximum temperature of a station reaches at least 40 degree Celsius or more for plains and at least 30 degree Celsius or more for hilly regions.