In the month of April the weather was very unusual for the season in India. In the first half of April the temperature was below normal for the season particularly in North India where people were wondering when will the summer season start ? But then in the second half of April almost entire country was under the grip of the heat waves conditions and meteorologist started reeling forecast for a ‘Super El Nino brewing’ which can potentially destroyed the South-West monsoon rains during June to September season in India. The Indian meteorological department (IMD) has forecast a below normal monsoon for year 2026 as for them the rainfall could be 92% of the long period average. Astrologically we disagree on both the predictions; about the Super El Nino brewing and the forecast of IMD about a below-normal South-West monsoon in 2026.
Indian meteorological department has a long history of changing its forecast and swallowing his own words time and again. As per our astrological assessments this year during the entire South-West Monsoon season the watery planet Jupiter will transit into Cancer a watery sign giving its 9th aspect to Saturn which at present is transiting into Pisces a full water sign. Also, Mars will be transiting behind the Sun which is a yoga for decent rainfall. The superior conjunction of Jupiter, Mercury and Venus during the month of May will bring very good per-monsoon rainfall and excellent conditions for the South-West monsoon to reach early this year in Kerala before its normal date of 1st of June.
IMD flags below-normal monsoon for 2026; rainfall seen at 92% of long-term average
India’s summer arrives early, and a Super El Nino is brewing
As per our humble understanding the conjunction of Mercury and Mars in Aries sign from the second week of May will bring some more heat wave conditions in North and Central India. In Southern Peninsular from the 3rd week of May month there will be excellent per-monsoon rainfall particularly in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
An early onset of South-West Monsoon over Kerala foreseen
As per astro-meteorology we consider Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Leo, Virgo and Sagittarius as the dry signs. While Cancer, Pisces and Capricorn are 100% watery sign. Scorpio, Libra and Aquarius also have good water content in them. Among the planets the Moon, Venus, Jupiter and Mercury are watery planets. The Sun, Mars, Saturn and Ketu are dry in nature and Rahu is windy in nature. This year during the second fortnight of May month the conjunction of three watery planets Jupiter, Venus and Mercury in Gemini sign is likely to give strong winds, good pre-monsoon rains and an early onset of South-West monsoon.
In the April 2026 issue of the Express Star Teller Magazine in my article title ‘Planets and Summer Season 2026′ i had forecast less number of heat waves days during summer season this year and very good pre-monsoon rainfall. The month of June is likely to have less than normal temperate for the season in many parts of the country particularly in South and Central India due to an early arrival of the South-West Monsoon this year.
Chart 1. Solar Ingress of Taurus (Vrishabha Samkranti)
15 May 2026, 06:21:55 a.m. at Delhi
At the time of Sun’s entry into Taurus this year dry planet Mars will be in fiery sign Aries along with the Moon. The close degree conjunction of the Sun with Mercury is a yoga of excessive heat which will primarily affect Northern states particularly Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi-NCR. In the third week of May there will be higher than the normal temperature in most of the Northern states of the country. The Eastern states of Assam and West Bengal will also get lots of humid weather in the 3rd week of May with some good pre-monsoon rainfall also.
But since Mars is behind the Sun so there will be good pre-monsoon rainfall in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and some other areas of Southern peninsular in the second fortnight of May this year. Also, notice that in the second fortnight of May natural benefic Venus and Jupiter will be ahead of the Sun which is an excellent Yoga for the rainfall. The south-west monsoon will progress fast in the area of Andaman and Nicobar Island in the third week of May.
The South West Monsoon may reach Kerala on the 30th of May or even two days before i.e. on 28th of May when the Moon will be in Libra in trine from three benefic planes (Jupiter, Mercury and Venus) in Gemini which is a rain giving combination as per Bhavishya Phala Bhaskar.
Mumbai, Kolkata, Nagpur and Raipur will get early monsoon rains
The central and the eastern parts of the country is likely to get an early south-west monsoon rainfall this year. Before the 10th of June. Due to the effects of Jupiter, Mercury and Venus conjunction in the first week of June the South-West monsoon may cover the entire southern peninsular. Later it may reach Mumbai, Nagpur, Raipur and Kolkata before 10th of June.
Chart 2. Full Moon horoscope of 31st of May 2026
Interesting things to note in the Full Moon horoscope of 31st of May 2026 (14:15 hours at Delhi) natural malefic planets Rahu, Saturn and Mars are transiting behind the Sun. As per astro-meteorology rules natural malefic transiting behind the Sun is good for the rainfall. Natural benefic planets (Jupiter, Venus and Mercury) transiting ahead of the Sun are always welcome for timely rainfall during the rainy season. West Bengal and Bangladesh ruled by Gemini sign will get ample rainfall during the pre-monsoon period in the last week of May and also during the early days of South-West monsoon in first fortnight of June month.
Overall South-West Monsoon Rainfall would be 95% to 100% of LPA
Contrary to the forecast of Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) of about 92% rainfall our humble astrological study of the Sun’s entry into Ardra Nakshatra chart suggest that rainfall will be normal only. As per IMD the rainfall during June to September period if happens to be less than 96% of the long period average (LPA) then it is termed as less than normal.
Chart 3. Sun’s entry into Ardra Nakshatra
The noticeable point in the horoscope of Sun’s entry int Ardra Pravesh is the placement of Mercury, Venus and Jupiter ahead of the Sun. The Sun is behind Mercury in longitudes in the sign Gemini at the time it enters into Ardra Nakshatra on 22nd of June 2026 at 12:26:14 hours as per the Indian Standard time. Also, two another natural benefic and watery planets Venus and Jupiter are also ahead of the Sun. The natural malefic and dry planet Mars will remain behind the Sun only throughout the entire South West Monsoon season from June to September this year. Thus, we can confidently foresee a normal South West Monsoon rainfall between 95% to 100% for the Long Period Average (LPA) this year.
But in the Ardra Pravesh horoscope Saturn a dry planet aspect the Sun. In Navamsha all the natural malefic planets are in Kendra. This raise concern for the second half of the monsoon season when the transit Mars will be in Gemini a dry sign during 2nd of August to 13th of September when in some parts of the country there will be less than normal rainfall.
On the 26th of July the transiting Saturn will become retrograde which as per Bhavishya Phala Bhaskar is a combination for erratic rainfall as at that time the transiting Jupiter will be in fast moving motion or Atichari. When Saturn is retrograde and Jupiter is fast moving then they together bring very erratic rainfall as per the season.
Chart 4. Solar Ingress of Cancer
16 July 2026, 23:39:42 at Delhi
At the time of Sun’s entry into Cancer sign Jupiter a natural benefic will be ahead of the Sun. This is a yoga which will bring good rainfall in the central India in North Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh etc. Mercury behind the Sun which will give decent rainfall in North Indian states like Delhi-NCR, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh etc. The region of West Bengal ruled by Gemini sign will also get good rainfall in the month of August this year. But Bihar and Jharkhand ruled by Taurus may receive less than normal rainfall this year in August month due to transit of Mars in Taurus sign.
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana will get good rainfall in the month of August due to aspect of Jupiter on the Pisces sign ruling this region.
Chart 5. 17 August 2026, 07:59:12 a.m. at Delhi
Some obstruction in the rainfall will come after Sun enters into Leo sign (see chart 5) and then Mercury joining it on 22nd of August along with Ketu already transiting there. Leo being a dry sign having the conjunction of the Sun, Ketu and Mercury will bring less than normal rainfall in the last week of August and first week of September this year.
But then Mars will move into Cancer sign on the 18th of September will bring some much needed rainfall in state of Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Mars in Cancer a watery sign along with benefic Jupiter will bring good rainfall in the above mention states in the second half of September 2026.
