People travel in the rain as monsoon hits Kozhikode on Tuesday. Pic/PTI

The southwest monsoon on Tuesday hit Kerala, three days before its scheduled arrival, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The conditions are favourable for further advance of the monsoon into some parts of central Arabian Sea, remaining parts of Kerala, parts of coastal and south interior Karnataka, parts of east central and northeast Bay of Bengal, and some parts of northeastern states during the next 48 hours, it said. The onset of monsoon over the southern state of Kerala marks the commencement of the four-month long rainy season in the country.