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Southwest monsoon likely hits Kerala on May 26 five days early IMD warns of below normal rains
India
Published on 15 May 2026
IMD says Kerala gets monsoon about five days early
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) expects the Southwest Monsoon to set in over Kerala on May 26, about five days ahead of its usual June 1 onset. IMD says the timing could shift up to four days earlier or later. Favourable conditions are already building over the south Bay of Bengal, the Andaman Sea, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where the monsoon typically begins around May 20. IMD also projects seasonal rainfall of 80 cm versus a long-term average of 87 cm, citing El Nino.
- IMD forecasts monsoon onset over Kerala on May 26
- That is roughly five days ahead of the usual June 1 date
- Onset timing may vary by plus or minus four days
- Kerala monsoon in 2024 began on May 24
- IMD expects seasonal rainfall of 80 cm
- Long-period average for seasonal rainfall is 87 cm (1971 to 2020)
Read the full story at The Economic Times
This summarization was done by Beige for a story published on 
The Economic Times