Climate of India

By the end of July, nearly half of India's southwest monsoon season (June–September) has been completed. This provides an opportunity to review the progress of the monsoon and understand what may happen during the remaining months (August–September). 1. Monsoon onset and advance The southwest monsoon onset over Kerala occurred on 4 June 2026, about three days later than the normal onset date of 1 June. Following its onset, the monsoon advanced steadily across the country, with periods of rapid progress interspersed with temporary pauses. It eventually covered the entire country on 9 July 2026, about six days earlier than the normal date of 15 July. It is important to note that the timing of monsoon onset or its rate of advance does not determine the seasonal rainfall over India. The seasonal rainfall depends on the evolution of large-scale climate drivers such as El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), intraseasonal oscillations such as the Madden–...