Monsoon 2025 to cover entire country 2 weeks early

India experienced more intense rainfall in the second half of June compared to the first, leading to floods and flood-like situations in several western and eastern states.

The southwest monsoon is on track to cover the entire country nearly two weeks ahead of schedule, according to meteorological data. After an early onset in Kerala on May 24 — more than a week before the typical June 1 arrival — the monsoon progressed rapidly through southern and western India. By May 26, it had already reached Mumbai, marking the city's earliest monsoon arrival in 25 years. A journey that normally takes 10 to 11 days from Kerala took just two.

Even before the monsoon officially began, large parts of the country experienced intense pre-monsoon rainfall in May. This was largely due to a sharp rise in western disturbances, which are storm systems of Mediterranean origin that typically appear once or twice in May. This year, the India Meteorological Department recorded five to seven such disturbances, contributing to unseasonal and often torrential downpours across the subcontinent.

As June began, northeastern India bore the brunt of the weather. Rainfall from late May continued into early June, causing widespread flooding and landslides. At least 50 people were killed and nearly 15,000 hectares of crops were damaged across the region, according to a report by humanitarian coalition Sphere India.

Assam emerged as the worst-affected state, with 17 deaths and more than 633,000 people impacted across 21 districts. In Mizoram, a record 598 landslides were reported in 11 villages across four districts.

While the northeast struggled with excessive rainfall, central India witnessed a different pattern. From June 1 to 14, the region recorded below-normal rainfall, only for the monsoon to revive around June 15. Since then, states like Gujarat have begun experiencing flooding or flood-like conditions as rainfall intensified.

The only remaining region yet to be covered by the monsoon is Delhi. Some parts of the city saw rain on the afternoon of June 24, indicating the monsoon’s imminent arrival. The normal date for the monsoon to cover the entire country is 8 July 8.

So far, the 2025 monsoon has been marked by extremes — early onset, rapid advancement, unexpected halts and localised disasters. With much of the season still ahead, the coming weeks will determine whether this pattern stabilises or gives way to further anomalies.