Monsoon is likely to hit Kerala on May 27, five days earlier than its normal onset date of June 1, IMD said in a recent statement. This makes it possible to begin the kharif (summer sown) crops sowing operation early and the forecast will also help farmers.  The advance of monsoon over the Indian main land is marked by its onset over Kerala and is an important indicator characterising the transition from the hot and dry season to the rainy season. The south-west (summer) monsoon normally sets in over Kerala on June 1 with a standard deviation of about seven days and covers the entire country by July 8.