Thu Jul 03 00:50:00 UTC 2025: **Summary:**
The southwest monsoon covered all of India by June 29th, nine days earlier than usual. This early and rapid progress, a rare occurrence in recent decades, was driven by several factors. These included low-pressure systems attracting moisture-laden winds, an active phase of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) enhancing rainfall, and the position of the monsoon trough. The neutral phases of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) also played a role. The national average rainfall in June was 9% above normal, with central India experiencing a significant surplus. However, east and northeast India faced a rainfall deficit for the third year in a row. Most meteorological subdivisions received normal or above normal rainfall.
**News Article:**
**Monsoon Covers India Early, Bringing Relief and Shifting Rainfall Patterns**
New Delhi: India’s southwest monsoon swept across the entire country by June 29th, a remarkable nine days ahead of schedule, marking a welcome early arrival for the vital rainy season. This swift advance, only the tenth such occurrence since 1960, has brought above-average rainfall to much of the nation but also highlighted regional disparities.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) attributes this rapid progress to a combination of atmospheric factors. The development of five low-pressure systems acted as “magnets,” drawing in moisture-laden winds and triggering widespread rainfall. The active phase of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), a weather phenomenon that brings increased cloud cover and precipitation, also played a significant role. Furthermore, the southern positioning of the monsoon trough, an elongated low-pressure area, helped to draw in the monsoon winds early. Finally, both the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) were in neutral phases, meaning they neither suppressed nor enhanced rainfall.
The early monsoon onset in Kerala on May 24, eight days before its usual date, set the stage for the rapid nationwide coverage. While the monsoon progressed quickly across the south, east, and northeast of the country, it was slightly delayed over central India.
Nationally, the average rainfall in June was 9% above normal, ending a trend of rainfall deficits seen in recent years. Central India experienced a particularly significant increase, with rainfall 24.8% above normal, a first since 2022. However, the eastern and northeastern states continued to grapple with a rainfall deficiency for the third consecutive year, recording 16.9% below-normal precipitation.
While most meteorological subdivisions recorded normal or above-normal rainfall, some states still experienced below-normal conditions, including Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Bihar, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Lakshadweep.
The early and widespread monsoon coverage is particularly beneficial for the *kharif* sowing season, the planting period for key crops like rice, pulses, and oilseeds. Farmers are hoping this heralds a productive agricultural year.
First Piper 