EnvironmentThursday, 4 June 2026·The Hindu - National
Kerala southwest monsoon onset on June 4, 2026; IMD warns of subdued June rainfall and orange alerts
IMD said the southwest monsoon is set to begin over Kerala on June 4, 2026, but June rainfall may remain weak after a vigorous onset.
Key highlights
Direct fact
In June 2026, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the southwest monsoon, delayed beyond the predicted May 26 onset and the normal June 1 onset over Kerala, is set to begin on June 4, 2026, with orange alerts issued for four districts on Wednesday.
Key specifics
- The monsoon missed the predicted onset date of May 26 and the normal onset date of June 1 over Kerala in 2026.
- IMD said the monsoon stream had reached the Andaman Sea and South Sri Lanka on May 16, 2026.
- Orange alert was issued for 4 districts: Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam and Thrissur.
- For Thursday, 8 districts from Thiruvananthapuram to Thrissur were placed under orange alert, while the remaining districts were on yellow alert.
- June and July together contribute more than 60% of Kerala’s seasonal rainfall during the four-month southwest monsoon season.
Exam lens
Question type: Environment and climate match-the-following, IMD onset dates, El Niño impact, district alerts; TNPSC may ask which month contributes more than 60% of Kerala’s monsoon rainfall and which agency issues the alert.