Heavy Rains, Heatwave, and Monsoon Progress: IMD Issues All-India Weather Forecast for May 18–24
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a comprehensive weather forecast and warnings for the week of May 18–24, 2025, highlighting intense rainfall across coastal and northeastern regions, heatwave conditions in northwestern India, and further advancement of the southwest monsoon.
West Coast and Peninsular India to See Heavy Rainfall
Heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected over the west coast—Karnataka, Konkan & Goa, and Kerala—from May 18 to 24. The IMD has also warned of extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places in Coastal Karnataka on May 20. An upper air cyclonic circulation is likely to form over the east-central Arabian Sea off the Karnataka coast by May 21, leading to the formation of a low-pressure area by May 22, which may intensify and move northward.
Fairly widespread rain with thunderstorms, lightning, and winds up to 50 kmph is likely over Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Lakshadweep over the next 7 days.
Northeast and East India to Receive Intense Showers
The Northeast will continue to experience intense rainfall, with isolated very heavy rainfall expected in Assam and Meghalaya from May 18 to 20, and heavy rainfall in Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, and Nagaland. Thunderstorms with gusty winds (30–50 kmph) are expected across the region.
In East and Central India, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal & Sikkim, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh will experience scattered rainfall and thunderstorms. Very heavy rainfall is predicted for Sub-Himalayan West Bengal & Sikkim on May 18 and 20. Thundersqualls with wind speeds up to 70 kmph are likely in parts of Odisha, Bihar, and Vidarbha.
North and Northwest India: Rain, Duststorms, and Heatwave
Parts of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand are expected to receive rainfall with thunderstorms and gusty winds between May 18 and 24. Isolated hailstorms are expected in Himachal Pradesh on May 19 and Uttarakhand on May 19–20.
Duststorms are expected in Punjab on May 18, while West Rajasthan will see dust-raising winds (30-40 kmph) on May 18–19. Heatwave conditions are likely in West Rajasthan from May 18 to 22 and in Jammu & Kashmir on May 18. Some areas of Odisha will experience hot and humid weather on May 18–19, and warm nights are forecast for West Rajasthan.
West India: Rains and Thundersqualls
Light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorms is forecast for Konkan & Goa, Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada, and Gujarat between May 18–24. Very heavy rainfall is expected in Konkan from May 20–22, and in Madhya Maharashtra on May 21–22. Thundersqualls with winds up to 70 kmph may occur in Konkan, Goa, and Maharashtra on select days.
Southwest Monsoon Makes Progress
The IMD reports that the southwest monsoon has advanced over parts of the south Arabian Sea, Maldives, Comorin area, and the South and Central Bay of Bengal. Conditions remain favorable for further advance into more regions of the northeast Bay of Bengal over the next 2–3 days.
