Delhi is likely to get an early break from the ongoing heatwave as the southwest monsoon could reach the city nearly 10 days ahead of schedule. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the monsoon may arrive in the national capital by the third week of June, instead of its usual onset date around June 30.
The weather department confirmed that after a brief lull of almost 10 days, the monsoon has gathered pace again, especially over South India. Since Wednesday, states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Konkan, and Maharashtra have been receiving heavy to very heavy rains. This renewed monsoon activity is expected to push the rainy system northwards rapidly, spreading across other parts of the country soon.
In its latest report, the IMD predicted that the second phase of the monsoon will soon drench eastern India covering West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, and eastern Uttar Pradesh over the next week. After this, the rains are likely to reach western Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, and eventually Delhi between June 19 and 25.
Delhi residents have already started feeling signs of the approaching monsoon, with humidity levels rising and isolated pre-monsoon thunderstorms likely in the coming days. These weather changes are expected to ease the intense heat that has gripped the city for the past two weeks, where temperatures soared above 43 degrees Celsius on Thursday several notches higher than normal for this time of year.
The IMD has also forecast that between June 14 and 17, Delhi could see temperatures fall to 37–42 degrees Celsius, along with light to moderate rainfall and gusty winds. This shift is expected to offer welcome relief from the punishing heatwave that has led to frequent warnings in recent weeks.
As the capital braces for the monsoon’s arrival, hopes are high that the change in weather will bring much-needed comfort to its sweltering residents.