After days of widespread pre-monsoon rain and thunderstorm activity, the southwest monsoon has officially entered Karnataka, bringing relief to several parts of the state.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday declared the onset of the monsoon over the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi in Karnataka.
When will monsoon reach Bengaluru?
According to an IMD press release issued on June 5, the southwest monsoon is expected to advance into more parts of Karnataka, including Bengaluru, over the next two to three days. If the current weather conditions persist, the monsoon is likely to reach Karnataka's capital between June 7 and June 9.
Also read | Monsoon arrives in Kerala three days late, IMD predicts steady advance across India
{{/usCountry}}Also read | Monsoon arrives in Kerala three days late, IMD predicts steady advance across India
{{/usCountry}}“The region has recorded continuous rainfall of over 2-3mm in recent days, with wind speeds of 30-35kmph and persistent cloud cover. If these conditions continue, monsoon is expected to advance into Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Bengaluru and other parts of SIK within two days,” CS Patil, scientist at IMD Bengaluru told Times of India.
The weather agency expects the system to advance into more parts of Karnataka while also covering the entire Goa region and extending into parts of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. Further progress is also anticipated over sections of the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, along with parts of northeastern India.
Monsoon arrives in Kerala after delay
The southwest monsoon also reached Kerala on Thursday, arriving three days later than its normal onset date and five days after the date predicted by the IMD in its earlier forecast.
Also read | List of places Monsoon has covered so far and where it is headed next
Typically, the monsoon reaches Kerala around June 1. On May 15, the IMD had forecast that the seasonal rains would arrive over the state by May 26, with a margin of error of four days.
Despite the delayed arrival, forecasters expect the monsoon to spread across most parts of the country by the third week of June.
While the monsoon's advance is expected to benefit agriculture, concerns persist about the overall volume of rainfall during the season.
The IMD has forecast monsoon rainfall at 90 per cent of the long-period average (LPA) for 2026, placing it in the below-normal category. The weather agency has also indicated a 60 per cent probability of deficient rainfall, defined as precipitation below 90 per cent of the LPA.
Even so, the onset remains significant for India's farming sector, where nearly 51 per cent of cultivated land depends on rainfall and contributes around 40 per cent of agricultural production.
Monsoon may reach Northwest India by mid-June
Weather experts expect the monsoon to continue advancing steadily across the country over the coming days.
“Over Kerala, rainfall will reduce this week. Otherwise, the monsoon is likely to reach many parts including parts of Northwest India by June 15-16,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice president, climate and meteorology.
Rainfall is likely to be below normal during the June-September 2026 southwest monsoon season across much of South Asia, with the strongest signal over central regions, according to a seasonal forecast by WMO issued on April 30. The map issued by WMO showed below normal rain over almost all of India.