At a time when tropical seas are in quite a churn across the globe, it was only to be expected that the Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea would join the party.
The Atlantic Ocean has proved a minefield, breeding storms of explosive power with erstwhile hurricane Harvey being followed close on it heels by Irma, one of the strongest ever.
Triple trouble in the Atlantic
Irma, a class-topping category-five system, has packed devastating power as it roared into the Bahamas and is expected to hit Florida in the US south-east. Two other hurricanes have now reared their heads not far in the neighbouhood, as if from a factory assembly line. These hurricanes have been named Jose (category three) and Katia (category one).
Hurricane Jose is currently traversing the track left pulverised by Irma, even as the smaller hurricane, Katia, is prowling the seas east of the Mexican coast.
In this manner, the Atlantic Ocean has already given birth to four hurricane-strength storms even as the annual breeding season has barely reached the half-way mark.
Pulsating monsoon rhythm
Many time-zones to the East, the South-West monsoon has been showing signs of a pulsating rhythm over the South as the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal get into active mode.
There are no signs of big storms here, as is normal during the monsoon, but potent cyclonic circulations and low-pressure areas could generate moderate to heavy rain all the same.
The entire West Coast and the East Coast have been put on notice for enhanced weather activity until at least September 20, according to updated international forecasts.
This is even as the monsoon has not even started its customary 'beating the retreat' show from extreme West Rajasthan, which is due from September 1.
Even if the withdrawal process were to start from West Rajasthan anytime soon, it could run into a wall to the South, set up by competing rain-generating systems on either side of the South Peninsula.
Monsoon withdrawal
For the time being, low-pressure waves of western disturbances are forecast to hold sway over North-West India, where higher pressure has to set in to trigger the monsoon's withdrawal.
This would be followed by the formation of rain-friendly systems in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, whose flows would keep at bay advancing counter-currents from a withdrawing monsoon.
The US Climate Prediction Centre has forecast moderate to heavy rain for the South Peninsula until September 13, with heavier rain for the West Coast and the adjoining interior areas.
The heavy rain belt would shift further north to Goa-Konkan-Mumbai, South Gujarat and Saurashtra from September 14 to 20, according to these forecasts.
The India Met Department projection of a wind field profile also suggests unsettled weather (rain and windy conditions) here, with the Chennai and South Andhra Pradesh coasts in focus until September 17.