Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast that the southwest monsoon is likely to make its onset over Kerala within the next two to three days, signaling the beginning of the country’s crucial four-month rainy season.
The latest forecast comes after the IMD had earlier projected the monsoon’s arrival around May 26, ahead of its normal onset date of June 1. However, the advance of the monsoon experienced a brief delay, pushing the expected arrival into early June.
With concerns over uneven rainfall patterns and the potential impact on agriculture, the Central government has intensified preparedness measures. The Centre has constituted Crop Weather Watch Groups and Crisis Management Groups to closely monitor weather developments, crop conditions, and water availability across the country.
In addition, a comprehensive Crisis Management Plan has been circulated to state governments, outlining contingency measures to mitigate the effects of deficient rainfall, drought-like conditions, and other weather-related disruptions.
The southwest monsoon is vital for India’s agriculture sector, replenishing reservoirs, supporting kharif crop cultivation, and meeting a significant portion of the country’s annual rainfall requirements. Any delay or deficiency in monsoon rainfall can have implications for food production, rural livelihoods, and inflation.
Meteorologists will continue to monitor the monsoon’s progress as it advances northward from Kerala to other parts of the country in the coming weeks. The performance of the monsoon during June and July will be particularly important for sowing operations and overall agricultural output during the 2026–27 crop season.
-OdishaAge
