The southwest monsoon is set to enter India via Kerala around June 4, as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts a gradual increase in temperatures in Delhi, where a brief period of pleasant weather is fading. Weather activity is intensifying in western India, with Gujarat, Madhya Maharashtra, and Konkan-Goa likely to experience thunderstorms, squalls, and scattered rainfall as the monsoon approaches.
On Tuesday, the IMD announced that the southwest monsoon is expected to commence in Kerala around June 4, officially marking the beginning of the rainy season across the country. Large parts of India are forecasted to encounter thunderstorms, strong winds, and heavy rainfall throughout the week.
Dust storms are anticipated in Rajasthan, and similar thunderstorm conditions are expected in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, with isolated hailstorms predicted in Jammu and Kashmir and Rajasthan on June 3 and 4. Dust storm activity may also occur in isolated areas of western Rajasthan on June 3.
In western India, isolated to scattered rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds is expected over Konkan and Goa, Madhya Maharashtra, Marathawada, and Gujarat from June 2 to June 6. Gujarat and parts of Maharashtra could experience thundersqualls with wind speeds reaching up to 70 km/h, and isolated hailstorm activity is also forecast for Madhya Maharashtra. Mumbai and Pune in Maharashtra are under a yellow alert for thunderstorms, lightning, and squalls on Wednesday, June 3, while five districts—Amravati, Kolhapur, Satara, Aurangabad, and Jalna—are under an IMD orange alert.
In southern states, Kerala is predicted to receive isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall between June 2 and 8, while Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Lakshadweep are also expected to experience heavy showers. Thunderstorms with gusty winds are likely across Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka, with thundersqualls forecast in parts of Telangana and coastal Andhra Pradesh until June 4. The IMD has issued an orange alert for parts of Kerala on June 4, the anticipated arrival date of the southwest monsoon.
In northeast India, the IMD indicated that widespread light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorms and lightning is likely over the next five days. Heavy rainfall is forecast for Arunachal Pradesh until June 8 and for Assam and Meghalaya between June 5 and 8.
In east and central India, states such as Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Vidarbha are likely to experience thunderstorms and gusty winds throughout the week. Severe thundersqualls may occur in Odisha and Madhya Pradesh, with isolated hailstorm activity also expected in Madhya Pradesh.
