New Delhi: In a welcome development for both citizens and farmers, the Southwest Monsoon made landfall in Kerala on Saturday, May 24—eight days ahead of its usual onset date of June 1—according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). This marks one of the earliest arrivals since 2009, when the monsoon hit Kerala on May 23.
The early arrival has brought much-needed relief from intense heatwaves sweeping across large parts of the country and is expected to boost agricultural prospects, particularly for farmers reliant on monsoon rains.
“The Southwest Monsoon has advanced into Kerala, Mahe, Lakshadweep, parts of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and northeast India including Mizoram—where it arrived 12 days ahead of schedule,” IMD said in a statement. It also noted favorable conditions for further progression across the country.
Monsoon rains are critical for India, supplying nearly 70% of the country’s annual rainfall. The rains replenish reservoirs and aquifers and support millions of farmers, especially those without access to irrigation, during the vital July–September crop season.
