Southwest Monsoon arrives in southern atolls with heavy rains

Yesterday saw the end of the Northeast (Iruvai) monsoon and the onset of Southwest (Hulhan'gu) monsoon in the southern atolls of Maldives.

MET Office has confirmed that Southwest monsoon commenced in the southern atolls yesterday.

The impact of the Southwest monsoon is initially felt in the southern atolls each year around the first or second week of May. It then spreads to central regions and the rest of the country by May end.

This year, Southwest monsoon came to the southern atolls on May 7. Last year's date was May 9 in the southern atolls, with the central atolls seeing it by May 14, and the north, on May 17.

Southwest monsoon onset is determined when after the first of May, southern atolls report rainfall greater than 2.5mm, and southwest to westerly wind prevails and surface wind speed is greater than 10 knots, with these conditions persisting for two or more consecutive days.

This year, Northeast monsoon came later than average. Although generally it begins before the end of December, this year saw the date fall in January.

The Southwest monsoon generally lasts through May to November, while the Northeast monsoon is from January to March.