Southwest monsoon likely to set in over Keralam on May 26: IMD

The southwest monsoon is expected to set in over Keralam on May 26, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its forecast on Friday. Kerala usually sees the onset of the monsoon around June 1, which then advances northwards covering the rest of the country. This marks the beginning of the monsoon season (June to September) in the country. Last year, the onset of monsoon happened on May 24, according to the department.

????️ Southwest Monsoon 2026 Update

IMD forecasts the onset of Southwest Monsoon over Kerala around 26th May 2026 (± 4 days).
The operational forecast has shown high accuracy over the past 21 years.

Stay tuned for timely weather updates and monsoon progress across the… pic.twitter.com/iing4kWKhI

— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) May 15, 2026

 The weather office also said conditions were favourable for the monsoon to advance over parts of the South Bay of Bengal, the Andaman Sea, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands during the next 24 hours. The four-month monsoon season brings nearly 70 per cent of the country’s annual rainfall and is important for agriculture, the wider economy, and the recharge of reservoirs and aquifers. The IMD has also said India may receive below-normal rainfall during this year’s monsoon season, with 80 cm of rainfall likely against the long-period average of 87 cm for 1971-2020.
The IMD said the expected shortfall could be linked to the emergence of El Niño conditions, which are associated with lower rainfall in India. In its monthly forecast issued on May 1, the IMD said El Niño-Southern Oscillation-neutral conditions over the equatorial Pacific were evolving towards El Niño conditions.