Delhi Braces for Early Monsoon Arrival on June 24, Bringing Relief and Cleaner Air
New Delhi, India – June 21, 2025 – Delhiites are set to welcome the monsoon earlier than usual this year, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicting its arrival on Tuesday, June 24. This welcome news comes amidst a period of fluctuating temperatures and marks a significant shift, as the monsoon typically reaches the capital around June 27. If the forecast holds, this would be the earliest monsoon onset in Delhi since 2013, when it made landfall on June 16. Last year, the monsoon arrived on June 28, and in 2023, it reached the city on June 25.
The national weather agency has already noted favorable conditions for the southwest monsoon’s advancement across North India. “Southwest monsoon has further advanced into remaining parts of Bihar and east Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, some parts of west Uttar Pradesh, most parts of Uttarakhand, many parts of Himachal Pradesh and some parts of Ladakh,” an IMD statement confirmed. Conditions are now rapidly becoming favorable for its further advance into the remaining parts of the North Arabian Sea, more of Rajasthan, and the rest of West Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, as well as parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab, and Haryana over the upcoming weekend and subsequent two days.
The impending monsoon has already begun to temper the capital’s climate. Friday saw a pleasant day with overcast skies and light showers, keeping temperatures at a tolerable level. Several areas, including the Ridge (6.2mm), Delhi University (4mm), and Pusa (0.5mm), recorded light rainfall between 11:30 AM and 2:30 PM. IMD officials anticipate this current cloud cover, coupled with moist easterly winds, to persist, moderating temperatures and paving the way for the monsoon’s full arrival early next week.
To prepare for the anticipated weather, the IMD has issued a yellow alert for the weekend, indicating moderate weather conditions that require vigilance. This alert forecasts spells of rain, thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds over the next two days, ensuring continued respite from the heat that briefly gripped isolated parts of the city between June 9 and 12. While June hasn’t seen a widespread heatwave, areas like Ayanagar, Lodhi Road, the Ridge, and Mungeshpur did experience heatwave conditions on a few specific days.
In contrast, May remained remarkably free of heatwaves, largely due to frequent pre-monsoon showers. Delhi received an impressive 186.4mm of rainfall last month, significantly exceeding the long period average (LPA) of 30.7mm for May. With the early monsoon onset, June is also on track to follow a similar trend. Safdarjung, Delhi’s base weather station, has already recorded 87.8mm of rain this month, surpassing the monthly LPA of 74.1mm. Last year, Delhi received a substantial 243.4mm of rain in June, with a significant portion falling on June 28, coinciding with the monsoon’s arrival.
Beyond temperature relief, the rainfall has had a profoundly positive impact on Delhi’s notorious air quality. On Friday, Delhi recorded its cleanest air in nearly nine months, with the 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) registering at a “satisfactory” 75. This marked the third consecutive day of “satisfactory” air, following AQI readings of 89 on Thursday and 81 on Wednesday. Friday’s AQI was the best since September 28, 2024, when it stood at 67.
According to the Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) for Delhi, with more rain expected over the weekend, air quality is likely to remain in the “satisfactory” range. The AQEWS forecasts that for the following week, air quality may vary between “satisfactory” and “moderate” categories, promising a cleaner and more breathable atmosphere for Delhi residents as the monsoon season unfolds.