ABOVE-NORMAL heatwave days are likely in some parts of the foothills of the Himalayas, east coast States, Gujarat and Maharashtra in May, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its monthly forecast on Friday. The department also highlighted that the rainfall averaged over the country as a whole during May is most likely to be above normal, with the onset of the south-west monsoon over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands expected around May 14-16. Director General of Meteorology, IMD, Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, said, “During May 2026, minimum temperatures are expected to be above normal across many parts of the country.” “However, many areas of north-west India, along with some parts of central India and adjoining areas of peninsular India and southern parts of north-east India, are likely to experience normal to below-normal minimum temperatures,” he said in a statement.

 

Rainfall in May is most likely to be above normal over India, barring some parts of east, north-east and east central India, where below-normal rainfall is expected. On the onset of the south-west monsoon, Mohapatra said, “The monsoon may arrive over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands around May 14-16.” Currently, El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO)-neutral conditions over the equatorial Pacific are evolving towards El Nino -- the periodic warming of waters in the central Pacific Ocean -- conditions. The latest Monsoon Mission Coupled Forecasting System forecast indicates the development of El Nino conditions during the south-west monsoon season, according to the IMD. In April, the IMD said, most parts of the country experienced normal to below-normal maximum temperatures, except for southern peninsular India, where temperatures were above normal.