May is typically synonymous with rising mercury levels and heatwaves across India. But May 2025 has surprisingly defied expectations of scorching temperatures. While it might be an exaggeration to call it spring-like, large swathes of the country have seen persistent rainfall — a stark contrast to the usual blistering summer.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) data, the wetter-than-usual May 2025 is the result of an earlier-than-usual onset of the southwest monsoon winds, coupled with frequent instances of western disturbances. Between five and seven western disturbances were recorded in the month — well above the norm.
Western disturbances (WD) are extratropical storms originating over the Mediterranean region that typically bring winter rainfall to northwestern parts of the continent, usually during the winters.
This year, the unexpected continued activity of WDs into May — and their extension as far as central India — has triggered dust storms, thunderstorms and unseasonal rains across large parts of India, according to IMD.
Delhi, for instance, recorded its wettest May since 1901 — a milestone which can be attributed directly to the sustained influence of these WDs.
The phenomenon wasn’t limited to the national capital. Traditionally dry regions such as Marathwada in Maharashtra and parts of northern Karnataka also reported wetter-than-expected conditions by the end of the fourth week — May 22 to 28. However, areas like Rayalaseema and Vidarbha in central India reported excess rain as early as the first week of May.
Take Latur district in Marathwada, known for its chronic droughts. The region registered a 75 per cent rainfall deficit in the first week of May. By the fourth week, that had flipped to a staggering 2,000 per cent surplus, resulting in localised flooding and flash floods — a rare occurrence in this arid zone.
While the rain has brought some respite from the usual scorching heatwaves, it has also wreaked havoc on agriculture. Reports from Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat indicate crop damage. In Uttar Pradesh, mango growers are counting their losses after unseasonal rain disrupted flowering and fruiting cycles.