Watch | Why is monsoon so important for India’s economy?

The south-west monsoon serves as the lifeblood for the critical summer-sown kharif crop Kerala is the south-west monsoon’s first port of landfall in mainland India.

It arrives in Kerala by the first week of June. The monsoon is critical to replenish 81 reservoirs necessary for power generation, irrigation and drinking.

Macro@Moneycontrol: Wondering what the monsoon forecast hullabaloo is all about?

It is essentially a shift in the prevailing wind patterns. Drafts of breeze from the south Pacific travel northwards, carrying moisture along the way. It traverses nearly 8,000 km before reaching the Asian land mass, resulting in rainfall and offering respite to a sweltering summer.