Even as the southwest monsoon is expected to set in over Kerala and the Lakshadweep Islands between June 8-10, parts of the state received modest pre-monsoon rains since Thursday night bringing slight relief from searing heat.

According to the weather bureau in Thiruvananthapuram, the wind pattern was still weak, but expected to gain strength in the coming days.

"Though delayed by few days, the factors are favourable for a normal monsoon this year," Meteorological Centre Director M D Ramachandran told PTI.

Last year, the monsoon set in on May 29, a couple of days before the appointed date of June 1, but the amount of rainfall received was 35 per cent less than normal, which is 196 cm, he said.

Reports received by the MET office showed Cherthala, Alwaye and Minicoy in the Lakshadweep received 2mm each and Amini Island 1.78mm of rainfall during the 28 hours ended at 0830 IST Friday.

The Meteorological Department in Delhi said the Bay of Bengal branch of the southwest monsoon has advanced further to parts of the Northeast covering Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and eastern parts of Assam, they said.

Monsoon had hit the Northeast on Thursday, officials said adding the development is not unusual and had happened on a few occasions in the past.