Monsoon Arrives in Kerala 8 Days Before, Earliest Onset in 16 Years, Heavy Rainfall Alert Across South
Southwest monsoon has arrived over Kerala on May 24 eight days earlier than the usual onset date of June 1 — marking the earliest arrival in the state since 2009, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
This year’s early arrival has been attributed to favorable atmospheric and oceanic conditions, as several parts of Kerala experienced intense rainfall over the past 48 hours. The early onset is expected to influence weather patterns across the southern and western regions of India.
Following the monsoon’s early arrival, the IMD has issued red alerts for Kerala, Goa, and coastal Maharashtra, predicting heavy to extremely heavy rainfall over the weekend. Gusty winds reaching speeds of 40–50 kmph are also expected in affected areas.
A depression in the east-central Arabian Sea near Ratnagiri has intensified, prompting a red alert in Maharashtra. The system is likely to cross the coast between Ratnagiri and Dapoli today, bringing thunderstorms and localized flooding.
Goa, which has already seen intense showers over the past 24 hours, remains under a red alert. The state government has warned residents to stay away from rivers and waterfalls due to the risk of flash floods and landslides.
While the monsoon hasn’t officially reached the north, Delhi-NCR witnessed light rain and gusty winds early Friday. An orange alert has been issued for the region, with wind speeds expected to touch 70 kmph. States including Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana are likely to see thunderstorms and light to moderate rain.
Widespread rain with gusty winds is predicted over Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Bihar until May 29. The IMD has warned of thundersqualls — strong thunderstorm winds reaching 50–70 kmph — in Bihar and Madhya Pradesh through the weekend.
Other affected regions include the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, where isolated heavy rainfall is expected between May 24–26, and West Bengal and Sikkim, which may experience similar conditions on May 28–29.
Kerala typically sees the arrival of monsoon by June 1, but the date has varied in recent years. The earliest recorded onset was May 11 in 1918, while the most delayed was June 18 in 1972. Over the past decade, monsoon onset has occurred as early as May 29 (2018, 2022) and as late as June 8 (2023, 2019).
The IMD will continue monitoring rainfall activity closely, particularly given the increased risk of localised flooding, landslides, and travel disruptions.
