Bhubaneswar: The southwest monsoon is expected to reach Odisha on schedule this year.

Private weather forecasting agency Skymet has forecast that the monsoon would hit Kerala on May 28, four days ahead of its normal onset date.

The monsoon is expected to reach the Andaman and Nicobar islands on May 20 and advance further to Sri Lanka and over east central Bay of Bengal on May 24.

The monsoon reaches Odisha around June second week.

Regional director of the Indian Meteorology Department (IMD) Sarat Chandra Sahu said: "This is not our forecast. The IMD has not prepared its monsoon onset forecast yet."

Though the IMD forecast is not yet ready, both the IMD and Skymet had earlier forecast a normal monsoon this year.

At the moment, the state is facing heat-wave conditions and intermittently experiencing hail and thunderstorms at different places.

In a reprieve from the sweltering heat, Odisha on Sunday experienced a cooler day temperature.

Only six places across the state recorded the maximum day temperature of more than 40°C.

These are Sonepur (42.3°C), Titilagarh (42°C), Jharsuguda (41.2°C), Balangir (41°C), Sambalpur (40.3°C) and Hirakud (40.1°C).

The weather forecast for five days said there was likelihood of moderate rain or thundershowers at most places in the state.

The weather warning said strong and gusty surface wind with speed reaching up to 65kmph may prevail along and off the Odisha coast.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea.