Drizzle trickles, monsoon to follow

PANJIM, MAY 31
Pre-monsoon showers in the last 48 hours brought welcome relief from the sweltering heat, even as it is indicated rains will hit Goa with full force in another two to three days after Kerala witnessed the onset of monsoon on Monday.   
India Meteorological Department Goa in-charge K V Singh said the normal date for the arrival of monsoon is June 7 but this year it was going to be early as the South West monsoon winds have already arrived over Kerala.
Singh said the pre-monsoon showers were not witnessed all over Goa and it had rained in some parts only. Panjim and Dabolim received 6 cms of rainfall in the last two days, while Margao and Canacona witnessed 8 cms and 3 cms respectively.   
Many of the farmers in the countryside appeared upbeat after the news of the onset of monsoon in Kerala. Some of them said they were expecting a normal rainfall and bountiful crop this season.
Director Agriculture Department S S P Tendulkar said timely rains is welcome relief for farmers who are ready for thesowing season, but to predict a good crop it will all depend on the quantity of rain and its regularity.
Meanwhile, fishermen have been warned not to venture into the Arabian Sea because of a depression that may develop into a cyclone.   
PTI adds: After a year of drought, the eagerly-awaited seasonal monsoon rains have reached Kerala, the weather office said today.
 much to the cheer of the farming community.
“South-west monsoon has reached Kerala and we expect it to cover coastal Karnataka within a day,” Ajit Tyagi, Director General, India Meteorological Department told PTI here.
However, he said due to a storm brewing in the Arabian Sea, the progression of the monsoon is expected to be along the western coast and interior parts of the peninsula would get rains later.
“There is a depression in the Arabian Sea which could develop into a cyclone and affect the progression of monsoon in the interior parts,” Tyagi said.
As per current analysis, the depression which may develop into a cyclone could hit parts of coastal Gujarat and Karachi, weather scientists said.
Good rainfall this year could help increase farm produce which in turn is expected to bring down inflation.
The onset of monsoon over Kerala sets the stage for the four-month rainy season that powers the trillion-dollar economy with agriculture as its prime engine of growth.
Last month, the IMD had forecast normal monsoon rains for the season beginning June one.
The normal monsoon forecast is expected to bring cheers to over 235 million farmers, who had faced drought last year due to failed monsoon.
A good monsoon could help in sowing of rice, sugarcane, soybean and corn and lead to a rebound in the agricultural output.