State may get normal rain in June: IMD

Kochi: Kerala is likely to get normal to above normal rainfall this monsoon, according to the latest forecasts of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) released on Friday.
It said that the rainfall may be normal to below normal in June. There has been an increase in rainfall activity in the state and will continue till Monday. Yellow alerts were sounded for Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha and Idukki on Saturday.
Two districts will get isolated heavy rainfall on Sunday while Alappuzha, Kottayam and Ernakulam are on yellow alert for 7-11cm on Monday, IMD said.
According to the 24-hour rainfall recorded on Friday morning, Venkurinji in Pathanamthitta and Munakkal in Thrissur received 9cm rainfall while Vakkad in Malappuram received 7cm.
Thunderstorms with lightning accompanied by gusty winds reaching 30-40 kmph are very likely to occur at one or two places in Kerala till Tuesday.
Squally weather with wind speeds reaching 40-45 gusting to 55kmph is likely to prevail over Kerala coast. Fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea till Sunday.
As sea surface temperature conditions over the Pacific and Indian Oceans are known to have influence on monsoon, IMD is monitoring the evolution of sea surface conditions over these ocean basins.