The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday said conditions are becoming favourable for the advance of the southwest monsoon over parts of the south Bay of Bengal, the Andaman Sea, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands around May 16. Low-pressure area persists over Bay of Bengal According to the IMD’s latest All India Weather Summary and Forecast Bulletin, a well-marked low-pressure area over the southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal continues to persist over the same region. The associated cyclonic circulation extends up to 5.8 km above mean sea level, indicating strengthening weather activity over eastern coastal regions. Rain and thunderstorms likely across northwest India The weather department has forecast scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall along with isolated thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds reaching speeds of 30–50 kmph over Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad and Himachal Pradesh on May 15 and 16. Uttarakhand is also likely to witness similar weather activity on May 14. Lightning alert issued for Himachal Pradesh Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning are expected over Himachal Pradesh on May 14. Meanwhile, Punjab, Haryana, …