The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the southwest monsoon will set in over Kerala by Friday in line with its forecasts for the start of the fourmonth rainy season that`s vital to the Indian economy.
"Conditions continue to remain favourable for the onset of southwest monsoon over Kerala and its further advance into some more parts of south Arabian Sea, remaining parts of Maldives-Comorin area, some parts of Tamil Nadu, some more parts of Bay of Bengal during next 24 hours," IMD said in a release on Thursday. The monsoon will further advance across parts of the northeast in the next 48 hours.