"Forecast suggests that monsoon onset over Kerala this year is likely to be slightly delayed. The Southwest monsoon is likely to set over Kerala on June 7 with a model error of plus or minus four days," the India Metereological Department (IMD) said in its forecast released here.
June 1 is the official onset date of monsoon in India when it hits Kerala.
The delay in the arrival of the monsoon is not good news for the country which is suffering due to intense heat and is eagerly waiting for the rains.
IMD Director General Laxman Singh Rathore said the delay in the monsoon onset was not an "unusual" phenomenon.
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He, however, said there would be some relief to South Indian states from the intense heat as there could be some rainfaill in the coming days.
"Currently there is a low pressure area in the Bay of Bengal which will become a depression and hit Tamil Nadu coast by tonight. This will bring good amount of rainfall to the state, parts of South Interior Karnataka and parts of Kerala," Rathore said.
The IMD has already made a forecast that monsoon will be "above normal" this year.