India: IMD Forecasts Early Monsoon Onset with Above-Normal Rainfall

On April 15, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasted a 59 percent chance of an above-normal 2025 southwest monsoon, and an onset date of May 27, five days ahead of typical June 1 onset. IMD predicts that rainfall from June through September will likely reach 105 percent of the long-period average (LPA), which is the fifty-year average of 870 millimeters (mm), and above-normal temperatures are expected across most parts of the country starting in May, likely impacting planting decisions due to increased irrigation requirements.