Skymet says IMD declared Southwest monsoon onset in a hurry; Met denies

The private weather office says IMD overlooked its own parameters to meet forecasts; Met says it will never compromise on standards. Skymet says rains haven't come yet

Did the India Meteor­ological Department (IMD) declare the onset of monsoon on Sunday early, without meeting all parameters? Skymet and a few other independent forecasters seem to think so. But it is a claim the IMD vociferously denies.

“We never compromise on science because IMD is followed not just by some private weathermen but across the globe by several reputed institutions; and we are known for our scientific rigour when it comes to making predictions, forecasts and mapping weather patterns,” IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra told Business Standard.

In a statement issued on Monday, private weather forecasting agency Skymet said that IMD