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Monsoon hits Kerala May 26 six days early while IMD warns 2026 rain will be below normal
India
Published on 15 May 2026
Kerala gets monsoon six days early again—so why fear 2026 drought risk
India’s southwest monsoon is expected to begin over Kerala on May 26, six days earlier than the normal June 1 date, according to IMD. The early onset matters because it kickstarts sowing of kharif crops such as rice, pulses, oilseeds, cotton and sugarcane. But the season comes with a warning: IMD forecasts 2026 rainfall at 92% of the long-period average, citing El Nino concerns. Meanwhile, heatwave to severe heatwave conditions persist over northwest and central India.
- IMD expects monsoon onset over Kerala on May 26, six days early
- Normal Kerala onset date is June 1, with about ±7 days variation
- IMD projects 2026 rainfall at 92% of the long-period average
- Early onset supports sowing for major kharif crops
- Kerala onset forecast includes a model error of ±4 days
- Heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are forecast for northwest and central India
Read the full story at The Economic Times
This summarization was done by Beige for a story published on 
The Economic Times