The southwest monsoon is likely to advance into south Andaman Sea and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal on May 21, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday.
The southwest monsoon is likely to set in over Kerala during the next two weeks between May 27 and June 2, the IMD said.
A low pressure area is very likely to form over north Andaman Sea and adjoining east central Bay of Bengal around May 22. It is very likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm by May 24.
It is very likely to move northwestwards and reach north Bay of Bengal near Odisha-West Bengal Coast around May 26 morning.
"Due to likely favourable meteorological conditions, the southwest monsoon is likely to advance into south Andaman Sea and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal on May 21," the IMD said.
"Fairly widespread to widespread rainfall activity with isolated heavy to very heavy falls is likely over Andaman and Nicobar Islands till May 23 and its intensity likely to decrease thereafter," it said.
This is one of the indications that the monsoon will soon hit the mainland.
Last week, the IMD had said that the monsoon was likely to make an onset over Kerala on May 31, a day ahead of its normal onset date.
The development also marks the start of the four-month rainfall season.
The IMD has already predicted that the monsoon is expected to be normal this year.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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