The onset of monsoon over Kerala has been delayed and is not expected in the next three to five days, the Indian Meteorology Department (IMD) said in Delhi on Monday.
Normally, the monsoon hits Kerala on June one after which it spans the entire country up to Rajasthan.
The delay would have an impact on the onset of rains in the peninsular region, including Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.
The present conditions do not favour advance of the southwest monsoon for the next three to five days, officials said.
"Nothing can be said as of now about Delhi and adjoining areas," one of them said.
The monsoon had entered the South Andaman Sea and the adjoining South East Bay on May 16, which is about the normal time.
After that it moved further to cover the whole of the Andaman Sea, parts of the South and East Central Bay, Maldives and nearby areas like the southern parts of Sri Lanka.
However, it is yet to advance further northward to Kerala, the official said.
Initially, there was a delay due to the disturbed circulation pattern over the Bay of Bengal. Though this later got corrected, the corresponding recovery did not happen over the Arabian Sea, he said.
