New Delhi : Amid searing and soaring temperatures across India, and especially in its northwest, the southwest monsoon, the lifeblood of India’s rural economy, arrived in Kerala on Thursday, two days ahead of its normal date, and also simultaneously in most parts of northeast India, with the India Metrological Department (IMD) confirming that all onset criteria were met .Last year, the monsoon last year arrived in Kerala seven days after it normally does.In 2022, the monsoon set in over Kerala on May 29, the earliest since 2019. The earliest the monsoon has ever set in over Kerala is May 18, in 1990.In a statement, IMD said the southwest Monsoon has set in on Thursday over Kerala and Mahe and advanced into most parts of northeast India including all of Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and most parts of Tripura, Meghalaya and Assam. Cyclone Remal seems to have played a part in the latter.“Normally southwest monsoon set in over Kerala on June 1 and it advances over most part of northeast India by June 5. Thus, southwest monsoon has set in over Kerala two days before the normal date and over northeast India, six days before the normal date. It has also advanced into most parts of Lakshadweep , most parts of south Arabian sea and some parts of central Arabian sea and some parts of south Tamil Nadu,” IMD added in its statement.The last time the monsoon made a simultaneous onset over northeastern states was in 2017. This also occurred in 1991, 1995, 1997. In 1972, 1975, 1996, 1998, 2000 and 2003 it arrived in the Northeast before Kerala, according to climate monitoring division of IMD.According to meteorologists, severe cyclone Remal helped advance monsoon flow over Bay of Bengal and to the northeastern states.“The Bay of Bengal arm of [the] monsoon is very active due to severe cyclone Remal which has pulled the monsoon flow over the northeastern region,” said IMD director general M Mohapatra. “There has been extremely heavy rainfall in northeastern states during the past two days.”The monsoon’s onset in Kerala is declared on the second day if at least 60% of 14 stations — Minicoy, Amini, Thiruvananthapuram, Punalur, Kollam, Allapuzha, Kottayam, Kochi, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Thalassery, Kannur, Kudulu and Mangalore —report rainfall of 2.5mm or more for two consecutive days after May 10, provided the wind pattern is south-westerly and Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR) is low. OLR is the total radiation going to space emitted by the atmosphere or the extent of cloudiness.“During the past two days, cloud (cover) has increased over Southeast Arabian Sea with Outgoing Long wave Radiation (OLR) being <200w/m2. The depth of westerlies over Southeast Arabian Sea extends up to 4.5 km above mean sea level. The strength of Westerlies in the lower levels is about 25-30 knots. There has been widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall over Kerala during past 2 days. Considering all the above satisfied conditions, southwest monsoon has set in over Kerala today (May 30),” IMD said in its statement.“Conditions are favourable for further advance of southwest monsoon into some more parts of central Arabian Sea, remaining parts of south Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep area and Kerala, some parts of Karnataka, Some more parts of Tamil Nadu, Southwest and Central Bay of Bengal, remaining parts of Northeast Bay of Bengal and Assam and Meghalaya and some parts of sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim during next two to three days,” IMD said in its forecast on Thursday.Following its onset over Kerala, the monsoon advances northwards, usually in surges, and covers the entire country around July 15.But the onset over Kerala is an important indicator characterising the transition from a hot and dry season to a rainy one.Monsoon marks a relief from scorching summer temperatures. According to the agriculture ministry, 51% of India’s farmed area, accounting for 40% of production, is rain-fed, making monsoon critical.With 47% of the country’s population dependent on agriculture for their livelihood, a bountiful monsoon has a direct correlation with a healthy rural economy.Monsoon rainfall over the country between June to September is likely to be “above normal” at 106% of the long-period average with a model error of ± 5%, IMD said in its long-range forecast on April 15.There is still no clarity on how rapidly the monsoon will progress.“Monsoon progress over northwest India may be slow. Models show below normal rainfall over northwest India in June. But we do not have the forecast immediately on how monsoon will progress over the north. Its only speculation for now,” Mohapatra said on May 27.The monsoon normally makes onset over Delhi around June 27.“Models predict a delayed monsoon onset over north India but with some uncertainties. Cooler temperatures over the peninsula (are expected) due to expected monsoon rains,” M Rajeevan, former secretary, ministry of earth sciences and climate scientist wrote on X on Thursday.