Record-Breaking Monsoon Advance: An Early Soak for India

The monsoon made an early reprise this year, covering Delhi on Sunday, even before the usual June 30 marker. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), this acceleration led to the monsoon sweeping across the nation, completing its journey 9 days earlier than its typical July 8 schedule.

IMD records indicate this year's advance is the quickest since 2020. Traditionally, the monsoon marks its arrival over Kerala by June 1, covering the entire subcontinent by July 8, but this year it reached Kerala on May 24—marking its earliest landfall since 2009.

Strong low-pressure systems over the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal fueled its swift progression, and the monsoon amassed pace, engulfing territories as far as central Maharashtra and the northeast by May 29. Despite a nearly three-week stagnation from May 29 to June 16, delayed anti-cyclonic winds eventually allowed it to arrive in Delhi.

(With inputs from agencies.)