India’s southwest monsoon arrived in Kerala on Thursday — three days behind schedule. The India Meteorological Department confirmed the entry, triggering heavy rain alerts across the southern coast while pre-monsoon storms continued battering states as far north as Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.
The monsoon normally reaches Kerala on June 1. IMD had initially forecast an early arrival on May 26. Instead, it crossed the coast on June 4, setting the tone for a season that has already tested the country’s patience.
Kerala and the South Brace for Heavy Rain
IMD issued a seven-day heavy rain forecast for Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka following the monsoon’s landfall. Orange alerts — signalling very heavy rainfall between 11 and 20 centimetres — are active for the Kerala districts of Alappuzha, Kottayam, and Ernakulam.
Heavy rain is also expected across the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Puducherry, and Karaikal through Saturday.
While the south receives the monsoon, pre-monsoon storms are doing serious damage across central and northern states. Thunderstorm alerts are active in 24 states, including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, and Delhi.
In Dehradun, trees fell on vehicles in a parking lot. Roads flooded in Sheopur, Madhya Pradesh. In Bhopal, a sudden early-morning storm gave way to sunshine and a rainbow by 6 a.m.
Cumulonimbus clouds — the towering storm engines responsible for lightning, hail, and destructive winds — are driving conditions across much of the country. Winds of 50 to 80 kmph are expected in multiple states over the next 48 hours.
State-by-State: Where the Worst Hits
Rajasthan sits under an orange alert for thunderstorms and rain across nine districts. Hail struck Dungarpur on Wednesday. Bikaner recorded the state’s highest temperature at 43°C.
Madhya Pradesh expects thunderstorms across 39 districts, with hail possible in the Ujjain, Gwalior, Sagar, and Chambal divisions. The southwest monsoon is not expected to reach the state until after June 20.
Uttar Pradesh has rain alerts in 42 districts, with wind speeds forecast between 60 and 80 kmph. Lightning remains a risk. The monsoon is expected to arrive between June 18 and 20.
Bihar faces a heatwave yellow alert in six districts — Buxar, Bhojpur, Kaimur, Gaya, and Sasaram — with temperatures likely to reach 42°C. Hot westerly and southwesterly winds are pushing temperatures higher through June 8. Buxar recorded 40.6°C in the past 24 hours.
Jharkhand has rain alerts in 16 districts as moisture moves in from the Bay of Bengal, offering relief from the heat that gripped the state earlier this week.
Haryana expects dusty winds of 40 to 50 kmph and thunderstorms in 10 districts. Rohtak recorded the state’s highest temperature at 42.1°C.
Punjab and Chandigarh are under orange alert for rain and thunderstorms through June 6, with wind speeds up to 60 kmph. Temperatures range between 35 and 42°C across the region.
Himachal Pradesh faces an orange alert in Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, and Sirmaur. Heavy rain, hail, and winds up to 50 kmph are expected over the next six days.
Uttarakhand issued orange alerts for Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Dehradun, and Tehri, with hail and 60 kmph winds forecast alongside heavy rain.
Mumbai Faces a Water Crisis on the Horizon
As storms sweep the country, Mumbai is watching its reservoirs closely. The seven lakes supplying the city hold only 45 days of water reserves. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has begun planning for the summer of 2027, after the weather department issued a drought alert for the region.
No rationing decision has been taken yet. But the clock is running.
Despite the storms, high temperatures persist across large parts of the country. Gujarat, western Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu are all recording temperatures above 40°C.
The monsoon’s arrival in Kerala marks the start of India’s rain season. But for hundreds of millions of people in the north and centre of the country, the wait — and the heat — continues.
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