Weather news LIVE: After experiencing a slight delay in reaching Kerala, the southwest monsoon is now poised to move deeper into the southern peninsula and eastern parts of the country starting Sunday.

The arrival of the monsoon will likely help many major cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata escape the scorching sun.

The director general of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said Cyclone Biparjoy has completely separated itself from the monsoon flow and will not affect the progress of the seasonal rain system.

“If Cyclone Biparjoy moves northwest towards Oman, it will affect monsoon flows,” he said.

According to Mohapatra, the presence of the storm in the Arabian Sea has a positive effect on the progress of the monsoon. As it extended over the southeastern Arabian Sea, it enhanced the transequatorial currents, supporting the course of the monsoon.

Between June 18 and 21, conditions became favorable for the southwest monsoon to advance further over other parts of the southern peninsula, eastern India and surrounding areas.

Initially, Cyclone Biparjoy caused a delay in the onset of the monsoon and weakened its intensity. This happens when the storm sucks moisture and convection out of the monsoon system. The southwest monsoon hit India on June 8 with an onset in Kerala compared to the normal day of June 1.

Research shows that the delayed onset of the monsoon in Kerala does not necessarily mean that the onset of the monsoon in northwest India is slowed.

Earlier, IMD said India is expected to see normal rainfall during the southwest monsoon season despite developing El Nino conditions.

El Nino, a warming of sea levels in the Pacific Ocean near South America, is often associated with a weakening monsoon and dry weather in India.