Southwest Monsoon Likely to Reach Andaman by Weekend

13-May-2026 11:39 AM

New Delhi. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has stated that the Southwest Monsoon is likely to advance over the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands by the end of the current week. This marks the traditionally correct time for its arrival. A low-pressure area currently prevails over the southwestern sector of the Bay of Bengal; this system is expected to intensify significantly within the next 24 to 48 hours, thereby facilitating the monsoon's progression. After remaining active over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for a few days, the monsoon will advance further to reach the Indian mainland.

According to the Meteorological Department, conditions are becoming increasingly favorable for the onset of the Southwest Monsoon, and it is expected to become active over India around the scheduled time. It appears that the monsoon's performance during June will remain more or less normal, with the El Niño weather cycle exerting only a limited or negligible impact on it. The low-pressure area formed over the Bay of Bengal is associated with a cyclonic circulation, which is poised to become active and dynamic shortly. This circulation is expected to play a pivotal role in propelling the moisture-laden monsoon clouds forward.

Traditionally, the Southwest Monsoon arrives over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands around May 20th, subsequently advancing westward to reach the Indian mainland. It typically makes its first landfall on Indian soil—specifically at the southernmost tip of Kerala or near Calicut—by June 1st, before progressing further to cover other parts of the country. However, the Meteorological Department has already forecast that monsoon rainfall during the four-month period of June to September in the current year is likely to fall below the normal average level.