Monsoon to return from June 12 after 13-day lull, IMD warns of heavy rain

IMD says the southwest monsoon will progress northwards after a 13-day pause, with thunderstorms, gusty winds, and intense rain forecast across peninsular, northern, and northeastern India

 

After a nearly two week pause, the southwest monsoon is finally set to return northwards again, offering much-needed relief to several parched regions of India. However, parts of north India are likely to witness persistent heatwave conditions.

 

The monsoon, which had stalled around the Maharashtra coast and neighbouring regions since May 29, is expected to revive between June 12 and 15, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Heavy to very heavy rain is anticipated, particularly across Karnataka and the Konkan and Goa region, where isolated pockets may experience extremely heavy downpours.

 

The latest bulletin released by IMD notes that the northern limit of the monsoon currently extends through cities including Mumbai, Ahilyanagar, Adilabad, and Bhawanipatna. This boundary is forecast to gradually move further north in the coming days, aided by favourable conditions in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.

 

Showers, thunderstorms likely in north and northeast

 

Parts of northwest India are likely to see light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds (40–50 kmph) between June 13 and 15. States such as Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, West Uttar Pradesh, and East Rajasthan are expected to be impacted. Uttarakhand and East Uttar Pradesh may see similar activity between June 11 and 15, while Punjab is likely to experience such weather on June 14 and 15. 

 

In the Northeast, rain is forecast throughout the week, with isolated heavy showers over Arunachal Pradesh from June 12 to 15, over south Assam and Meghalaya from June 10 to 15, and across Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura from June 9 to 15.

Peninsular India prepares for intense rain

 

Southern India is expected to bear the brunt of the monsoon's return. Kerala & Mahe and Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal are forecast to receive heavy showers from June 9 to June 11 and June 9 to June 12, respectively. Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam may be impacted on June 11 and June 12, while Telangana is likely to receive intense rainfall on June 12.

 

Karnataka will see heavy rain on June 9 and June 10. Lightning activity has been forecast for Goa on June 9 and for various parts of Maharashtra between June 9 and June 14. Marathwada may receive light to moderate rain with thunderstorms and gusty winds throughout the week.

 

Extremely heavy downpours are expected in isolated pockets of Konkan and Goa on June 12 and June 15. 

Weather systems behind the revival

 

The current weather pattern is being shaped by several active systems. Cyclonic circulations over northwest Uttar Pradesh, coastal Odisha and the Bay of Bengal are driving instability, triggering squalls, lightning and thunderstorm activity across Telangana, Vidarbha, Madhya Pradesh and the Andaman Islands.

 

The rain is forecast to spread to Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal by the weekend. Heavy rainfall is also expected in Odisha, Madhya Maharashtra and Marathwada through mid-June. 

Rain brings relief for farmers and reservoir managers

 

The monsoon revival is a critical development for farmers across southern and central India, where sowing had been delayed due to the earlier dry spell. “We were growing anxious, but this rain will help us get back on track,” said Vinayak Kale, a farmer from interior Karnataka.

 

Authorities are also hopeful that the renewed rainfall will help replenish reservoirs that had seen depletion during the dry stretch. However, IMD officials have cautioned that while rainfall may intensify in the south, the monsoon’s advance across the rest of India will remain uneven, influenced by evolving oceanic and atmospheric dynamics.

Advisories issued across high-risk districts

 

The IMD has issued advisories urging caution in flood-prone areas and regions susceptible to waterlogging and wind damage. Local administrations have been asked to stay alert and ensure readiness as monsoon activity builds over the coming days.