Kerala gets early monsoon, breaks 16-year record with May arrival

The Southwest Monsoon officially set in over Kerala today, May 24, 2025, marking an early arrival by 8 days compared to its normal onset date of June 1. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), this is the earliest monsoon onset over Kerala since 2009, when it arrived on May 23. 

The early monsoon arrival in Kerala, nearly a week ahead of schedule, marks the earliest onset in 16 years.

Taking records since 1975 into account, the earliest onset was on May 19, 1990, which was 13 days ahead of schedule. This year’s early onset reflects favourable atmospheric and oceanic conditions, setting the stage for widespread rainfall across the southern states.

This early arrival is attributed to the formation of a low-pressure system in the Arabian Sea and the advancement of favourable monsoon winds, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

India Meteorological Department has warned that Konkan and Goa, central Maharashtra, coastal Karnataka and south interior Karnataka will receive heavy rain.

Earliest monsoon since 2009

This year’s onset is the earliest since 2009 and 2001, when the monsoon reached the state on May 23. The normal onset date is June 1, but early monsoon arrivals are not unprecedented. The earliest ever recorded onset over Kerala was on May 11 in 1918, while the most delayed was on June 18 in 1972.

In the last 25 years, the most delayed onset occurred in 2016, when the monsoon reached Kerala only by June 9.

What triggered the early onset?

According to the IMD, all favourable atmospheric and oceanic conditions have developed over Kerala. These include:

• A low-pressure system over the Arabian Sea.
• Strong westerly winds and high moisture incursion.
• Heavy pre-monsoon rainfall across the state over the past 48 hours.

These indicators confirm the active monsoon circulation, pushing the rain-bearing system to Kerala’s coast faster than usual.

South India to receive intense rain

The IMD has issued alerts for extremely heavy rainfall over Kerala, south interior Karnataka, Konkan and Goa through the weekend. Coastal Karnataka and Kerala are set to experience:

• Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall till May 29
• Gusty winds up to 40-50 kmph
• Potential risk of flooding and waterlogging

States like Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh will continue to witness scattered showers and thunderstorms over the next five days.

Western India bracing for cyclonic conditions

In Maharashtra, a depression over the east-central Arabian Sea has formed near the Konkan coast, expected to make landfall between Ratnagiri and Dapoli. As a result:

• Red alert issued for coastal Maharashtra
• Mumbai may see thunderstorms, gusty winds (40–50 kmph), and lightning

In Goa, heavy to very heavy rainfall has already been reported, prompting a red alert and public warnings to avoid rivers and waterfalls.

Rain sweeps North and East India

Even in Delhi-NCR, parts of South Delhi witnessed light rain early on Friday, with an orange alert warning of gusty winds up to 70 kmph. Northern hill states like Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and the plains of Uttar Pradesh are forecast to receive widespread rain, lightning, and wind gusts.

Further east, Jharkhand is expected to see widespread thunderstorms with cooler daytime temperatures between 31°C and 37°C. West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, and Chhattisgarh are also under thunderstorm and rainfall advisories, with thundersqualls (up to 70 kmph) likely in Madhya Pradesh and Bihar.

With the monsoon's earliest onset in over a decade and a half, much of India is set to witness an active and widespread weather phase over the coming week. While this brings much-needed relief from heat, the IMD continues to monitor potential flooding, landslides, and wind damage, especially in coastal and hilly areas.