India, June 3 -- While torrential downpours across many regions in India, including Mumbai, in May, have captured national attention, behind the dramatic skies lie critical questions about the timing of the declaration of the monsoon's onset, its implications for key stakeholders, and how inaccurate weather alerts can undermine disaster preparedness.

The declaration of the monsoon's onset in India is undoubtedly one of the most awaited events of the year. More than simply a season of rain, it is, in fact, a massive seasonal shift in winds that transports vast amounts of moisture from the Indian Ocean toward the Indian subcontinent, ultimately leading to a large amount of rainfall. At a very basic level, the monsoon can be considered to b...