The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that conditions are turning favorable for the early onset of the southwest monsoon, which is projected to reach the Andaman Sea and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands around May 16, 2026.
According to the weather department forecast, Northwest India is set to experience a mix of rainfall and snowfall in the higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh due to incoming Western Disturbances, with dust-raising gusty winds impacting the plains of Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan on May 14.
Rainfall, Thunderstorm Warning
The Andaman & Nicobar Islands are expected to experience scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds (30-60 kmph) from May 13 to 19. Isolated heavy rainfall is also likely during this period.
West Bengal & Sikkim and the Sub-Himalayan regions can expect similar activity through May 16, while Gangetic West Bengal will likely see these conditions subside after May 14.
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Bihar & Jharkhand are under a thunderstorm watch. Wind speeds may reach 50-60 kmph (gusting to 70 kmph) in Jharkhand on May 14 and in Bihar on May 16.
While this advancement signals the onset of monsoon activity, heavy to very heavy rainfall is currently forecast for northeast India, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and South Interior Karnataka through mid-May.
Simultaneously, Northeast India remains under a heavy moisture spell, with consistent rainfall and lightning forecast for Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and the Manipur-Mizoram-Tripura belt, marking a period of significant meteorological volatility across the subcontinent.
Meanwhile, in Central India, isolated light to moderate rain accompanied by gusty winds reaching up to 50 kmph is expected over Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, and Chhattisgarh, while South Peninsular India braces for scattered to fairly widespread thunderstorms across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.
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