New Delhi: The southwest monsoon hit Kerala on Saturday, marking its earliest arrival over the Indian mainland since 2009 when it reached the southern state on May 23, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
Normally, the southwest monsoon makes its onset over Kerala by June 1 and covers the entire country by July 8. It starts retreating from northwest India around September 17 and withdraws completely by October 15.
The monsoon had set in over the southern state on May 30 last year; June 8 in 2023; May 29 in 2022; June 3 in 2021; June 1 in 2020; June 8 in 2019; and May 29 in 2018, IMD data showed.
Monsoon in India: Onset timing not linked to seasonal rainfall
Meteorologists caution against concluding the season’s overall rainfall based on the monsoon’s early onset.
“There is no direct relationship between the onset date and the total rainfall over the country during the season,” an IMD official told news agency PTI. “The timing of the monsoon’s arrival in Kerala does not necessarily reflect how it will progress across other regions. It is influenced by a mix of global, regional, and local climatic factors.”
In its April forecast, the IMD predicted above-normal rainfall for the 2025 season, while ruling out the impact of El Nino conditions, typically associated with deficient rainfall over the Indian subcontinent.
Southern India forecast: Heavy rains ahead
The IMD has predicted isolated extremely heavy rainfall in Kerala, coastal and south interior Karnataka, and parts of Konkan and Goa on Saturday. These regions are expected to experience heavy to extremely heavy rainfall until May 29, accompanied by gusty winds reaching 40–50 kmph.
States including Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh will see scattered showers and thunderstorms over the next five days.
Monsoon 2025: Western India braces for severe weather
The IMD issued a red alert for Maharashtra’s coastal districts, warning of heavy rainfall. Mumbai may witness thunderstorms with lightning, along with light to moderate rain and wind gusts up to 50 kmph in isolated areas.
A red alert has also been sounded for Goa, with heavy to very heavy showers forecast till Sunday. The state government has urged residents to stay away from rivers and waterfalls as a safety measure. Intense rain has already lashed several parts of the coastal state over the past 24 hours.
Rainfall is expected across Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh on May 24, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds (40–50 kmph). Light to moderate rainfall is also likely in Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Rajasthan.
Eastern and central India: Widespread showers likely
The IMD has forecast thunderstorms with gusty winds and widespread rain across Jharkhand over the coming days. Below-normal maximum temperatures — ranging between 31 degrees Celsius and 37 degrees Celsius — are expected to continue until May 29.
From May 24–26, widespread light to moderate rainfall is likely across West Bengal, Sikkim, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Bihar, accompanied by thunderstorms and winds (40–50 kmph). Madhya Pradesh and Bihar may experience thunder squalls reaching 60–70 kmph.
