Southwest Monsoon Advances Rapidly Across India; Heavy Rain and Thunderstorm Alerts Issued for 22 States

The southwest monsoon is advancing rapidly across India, bringing heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and lightning alerts to more than 22 states as it spreads into western and central regions. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued multiple weather warnings for the coming days, with particularly severe conditions expected in coastal areas and northeastern states. Heavy showers have already disrupted life in Mumbai, causing waterlogging in low-lying areas and affecting traffic, while Konkan and Goa remain under red alert with rainfall expected to exceed 204.5 mm within 24 hours.

The monsoon's rapid progression is bringing both relief from scorching summer temperatures and severe weather challenges. Northern states including Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan are experiencing pre-monsoon thunderstorm activity, with wind speeds reaching 40 to 70 kilometres per hour and strong lightning activity reported across multiple districts. Delhi-NCR is expected to receive monsoon showers by late June, with temperatures between 39°C and 41°C during the day. The IMD has forecast that conditions remain favourable for the monsoon to advance further into Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand over the next two to three days.

For June 25-28, the weather agency has issued widespread alerts for central, eastern and northeastern India. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is forecast over Odisha, Jharkhand, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya and several other northeastern states. Coastal Maharashtra and coastal Karnataka are also under orange alert, with rainfall expected between 115.6 mm and 204.4 mm in isolated locations. The Northeast is expected to experience extremely heavy rainfall exceeding 21 cm over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim on June 27-28.

Despite the monsoon's advance, heatwave conditions continue to persist in parts of Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh, eastern Madhya Pradesh and Vidarbha, though meteorologists expect these to ease as rainfall activity expands northward and eastward. The IMD attributes the active weather pattern to multiple atmospheric systems including cyclonic circulations over central Madhya Pradesh and Assam, a western disturbance over Haryana, and a trough stretching from southeast Rajasthan to the east-central Arabian Sea. Authorities have advised residents in vulnerable areas to remain vigilant and follow local safety advisories as waterlogging, flash floods and disruption to normal life remain significant risks.