Summer rain seems to have given Kerala a miss this year so far, with most regions witnessing scanty showers this season. Rainfall is around 38% deficient, amplifying the impact of the summer heat, which is nearing heatwave conditions in many parts of the State. This includes Punalur in Kollam, where the mercury soared to around 4.4°C above normal on Monday, followed by Kottayam and Palakkad, which recorded temperatures 4.3°C and 3.6°C above normal, respectively, on the day.
On the other hand, the State has received only 61.1 mm of summer rain so far this season against the average of 98.7 mm, marking a shortfall of 38%. Last year, the State received a large excess of summer rain, especially during the fag end of the season in May, which helped Kerala net a total of 776.6 mm of rainfall against the normal 359 mm, an excess of 116%.
Although the north-south trough, a prominent and persistent feature in summer, is active, moisture incursion into the trough over land is currently very low. Normally, during peak summer, the land becomes very hot, and moisture-laden winds blowing in from the sea mix with the ascending hot air over land. This process creates convective clouds, leading to summer showers that typically begin during the afternoons and end by night.
