On a sprint: Monsoon reaches Maharashtra just a day after Kerala, sets stage for earliest Mumbai arrival since 1956
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has confirmed that conditions are ripe for the monsoon to push further, likely covering Mumbai within the next three days. If it arrives by May 28, it would break a nearly 70-year record.
- May 25, 2025,
- Updated May 25, 2025 6:15 PM IST
The southwest monsoon has surged ahead of schedule, sweeping into Goa and reaching as far north as Devgad in Maharashtra's South Konkan — early by full 10 days. Even more striking, it touched Maharashtra just a day after hitting Kerala, a rare feat previously seen only in 1971 and 2012. Typically, it takes three days for the monsoon to traverse this path. This unusually rapid advance marks a historic acceleration, setting the stage for a potential new benchmark in Mumbai.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has confirmed that conditions are ripe for the monsoon to push further, likely covering Mumbai within the next three days. If it arrives by May 28, it would break a nearly 70-year record. Historically, Mumbai's earliest recorded monsoon onset was May 29, observed in 1956, 1962, and 1971. Other early arrivals include May 31 in 1990 and 2006.
"The Southwest Monsoon has further advanced into some more parts of west-central & east-central Arabian Sea, some more parts of Karnataka, entire Goa, some parts of Maharashtra, some more parts of west-central and north Bay of Bengal, and some more parts of Mizoram, some parts of Manipur and Nagaland today, the 25th May 2025," said the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The IMD also stated that over the next three days, the monsoon is expected to reach deeper into Maharashtra, including Mumbai, as well as Karnataka including Bengaluru. The rain-bearing system will also likely cover some parts of Andhra Pradesh, remaining areas of Tamil Nadu, additional parts of West-central and North Bay of Bengal, and more of the Northeastern states.
In Maharashtra, regions along the Konkan coast, including Mumbai, have already experienced heavy pre-monsoon showers over the past two days, indicating the system’s strength.
This year’s early onset over Kerala on May 24 is the earliest since 2009, when the monsoon arrived on May 23. Typically, the southwest monsoon makes landfall in Kerala by June 1, reaches Maharashtra by June 7, and touches Mumbai around June 11. It then progresses to cover the entire country by July 8, before retreating from northwest India around September 17 and fully withdrawing by October 15.
The southwest monsoon has surged ahead of schedule, sweeping into Goa and reaching as far north as Devgad in Maharashtra's South Konkan — early by full 10 days. Even more striking, it touched Maharashtra just a day after hitting Kerala, a rare feat previously seen only in 1971 and 2012. Typically, it takes three days for the monsoon to traverse this path. This unusually rapid advance marks a historic acceleration, setting the stage for a potential new benchmark in Mumbai.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has confirmed that conditions are ripe for the monsoon to push further, likely covering Mumbai within the next three days. If it arrives by May 28, it would break a nearly 70-year record. Historically, Mumbai's earliest recorded monsoon onset was May 29, observed in 1956, 1962, and 1971. Other early arrivals include May 31 in 1990 and 2006.
"The Southwest Monsoon has further advanced into some more parts of west-central & east-central Arabian Sea, some more parts of Karnataka, entire Goa, some parts of Maharashtra, some more parts of west-central and north Bay of Bengal, and some more parts of Mizoram, some parts of Manipur and Nagaland today, the 25th May 2025," said the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The IMD also stated that over the next three days, the monsoon is expected to reach deeper into Maharashtra, including Mumbai, as well as Karnataka including Bengaluru. The rain-bearing system will also likely cover some parts of Andhra Pradesh, remaining areas of Tamil Nadu, additional parts of West-central and North Bay of Bengal, and more of the Northeastern states.
In Maharashtra, regions along the Konkan coast, including Mumbai, have already experienced heavy pre-monsoon showers over the past two days, indicating the system’s strength.
This year’s early onset over Kerala on May 24 is the earliest since 2009, when the monsoon arrived on May 23. Typically, the southwest monsoon makes landfall in Kerala by June 1, reaches Maharashtra by June 7, and touches Mumbai around June 11. It then progresses to cover the entire country by July 8, before retreating from northwest India around September 17 and fully withdrawing by October 15.