Southern India, now battered with the scorching heat, is awaiting the monsoon showers that bring some respite during the month of June. It looks like the wait would not be too long and well worth it. In a press release issued today, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has announced that the southwest monsoon rainfall over the country, on the whole, is likely to be normal.

Accurate prediction of the monsoon is important for all sections of the society. A study from Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology shows how we can now predict the accurate arrival of monsoon rains almost three months in advance.