Various observed weather and climate features of 2012 southwest monsoon and verification of operational and experimental forecasts for rainfall at various spatial and temporal scales during the seasons have been discussed in this report. The evidence of monsoon current over the Andaman Sea and its onset over Kerala were delayed by about 3-4 days. The monsoon covered entire country by 22th July, 4 days earlier than its normal date. But the withdrawal of monsoon from west Rajasthan was delayed by about 3 weeks. During the season no depressions were formed and no break monsoon type conditions were observed. The 2012 monsoon season rainfall over the country as a whole was 93 of long period average (LPA). The rainfall during the first half of the monsoon season was below normal and that during the second season was above normal. The potential regional and global climate anomaly patterns responsible for the observed rainfall features have been highlighted. The standard skill scores were used for the verification of the operational rainfall forecasts at short, medium, extended and long range scales.