Mangaluru: The southwest monsoon finally made its official entry into Kerala on Thursday, setting the stage for its rapid advance along the west coast and bringing Mangaluru and coastal Karnataka to the brink of a full-fledged rainy season.

Across Mangaluru, the weather already has all the hallmarks of the monsoon. Dark clouds have blanketed the skyline for much of the day, intermittent showers have kept roads damp, and gusty winds sweeping in from the Arabian Sea have created a distinctly monsoon-like atmosphere. Residents woke up to overcast skies, while sporadic spells of rain through the day offered a preview of the weeks ahead.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) announced the onset of the southwest monsoon over the Kerala coast after an earlier forecast of an arrival around May 26 failed to materialise due to unfavourable weather conditions. With atmospheric conditions now turning favourable, the monsoon is expected to advance into coastal Karnataka, including Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, within the next two days.

The IMD has placed Dakshina Kannada and Udupi under an Orange Alert, warning of the likelihood of heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, lightning and squally winds. Several districts across Karnataka have also been issued yellow and orange alerts as the weather system gathers strength.

Meteorologist N. Puviarasan said current wind patterns, atmospheric circulation and moisture levels are all supporting the monsoon’s northward progression. Conditions remain favourable for further advancement into Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and parts of the Bay of Bengal over the next two to three days.

Weather experts pointed to multiple systems driving the monsoon’s momentum, including an upper-air cyclonic circulation over the Arabian Sea near the south Kerala coast, a trough stretching from western Uttar Pradesh to northern Tamil Nadu, and favourable atmospheric developments along the Karnataka coastline.

For Mangaluru, the signs are becoming increasingly difficult to miss. The sea has turned rougher, humidity levels remain high, and rain-bearing clouds continue to build offshore. Fishermen, commuters and farmers alike are closely watching the skies as the region prepares for the arrival of the season that shapes life along the coast.

With Kerala now officially under the monsoon’s embrace and rain activity expected to intensify across South India, coastal Karnataka appears poised for a dramatic transition from pre-monsoon showers to sustained seasonal rainfall in the coming days.