The southwest monsoon has officially reached Maharashtra, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), marking an early arrival compared to the usual schedule. Typically expected by June 7 in Maharashtra and June 11 in Mumbai, this year’s monsoon has arrived ahead of time and is expected to advance further across Mumbai and central parts of the state over the next three days. Heavy pre-monsoon showers have already drenched the Konkan coast and Mumbai region over the past 48 hours, giving residents a taste of the incoming wet spell. The IMD reported the monsoon’s progress across additional regions including parts of the Arabian Sea, Karnataka, Goa, northern Bay of Bengal, Mizoram, Manipur, and Nagaland.
The IMD noted that the monsoon’s northern limit now passes through several key locations: Devgad, Belagavi, Haveri, Mandya, Dharmapuri, Chennai, Aizawl, and Kohima. The department highlighted that weather conditions remain highly favourable for the monsoon to further penetrate into remaining parts of Maharashtra, including Mumbai, central Arabian Sea, and areas of Karnataka such as Bengaluru, as well as segments of Andhra Pradesh and northeastern states. These developments suggest that large parts of peninsular and eastern India will experience monsoon rainfall much sooner than expected, aiding agricultural activities and easing summer heat conditions.
This year, the southwest monsoon made landfall in Kerala on May 24—its earliest since 2009, when it arrived on May 23. Historically, the monsoon begins in Kerala around June 1 and spreads across the country by July 8. It starts withdrawing from northwest India around September 17 and fully retreats by October 15. This early onset is being closely monitored by meteorologists who believe it could influence the overall monsoon pattern and rainfall distribution throughout India. While early rains bring relief from the heat and support farming, authorities continue to advise preparedness in low-lying urban areas prone to waterlogging, especially in coastal cities like Mumbai.
