After a wintry December, the minimum temperature is likely to climb up slowly in January with atmospheric conditions favouring brief spells of isolated rain in parts of the State. The seasonal forecast issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warns of above-normal rainfall in Kerala during the January to March period. However, the precipitation in January will be slightly above-normal as per the forecast.
For Kerala, the average rainfall in January and February is around 21 mm. So, the aberration in rainfall generally will not affect the State. However, an above normal precipitation in January will have bearing on crops such as mango, which will be at flowering stage during this period. The minimum temperature in January will also be above normal, while the maximum daytime temperature will be below normal and normal in many parts of the State during the month, says the forecast.
In December, the average minimum temperature had dropped to 16-18°C in parts of the State with early cessation of rainfall activity in the month along with the global factors, including the La Niña conditions over the equatorial Pacific region and the near-average sea surface temperatures in the Indian Ocean.
