Monsoon Shifts Eastward; Rain Expected on West Coast by June 22–23

11-Jun-2026 05:08 PM

Thiruvananthapuram: The Southwest Monsoon has moved eastward from southern India, making its timely arrival on the west coast unlikely. While the normal date for the monsoon's arrival in Mumbai is June 10, it has not yet reached the city. The Meteorological Department states that the monsoon could reach the west coast by June 22–23.

It appears that the El Niño weather cycle will not only weaken the monsoon this year but also slow its rate of advancement. El Niño has formed in the equatorial Pacific Ocean and could severely impact the monsoon in the coming period. Upon reaching the west coast, the monsoon is likely to bring torrential rains to coastal Karnataka, Goa, Konkan, Mumbai, and parts of southern Gujarat, extending up to Surat.

A strong south-westerly airflow persists over the Bay of Bengal, and dense cloud clusters are visible over the western, west-central, and southern parts of the Bay.

These clouds are currently concentrating around Tamil Nadu and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Initially, it appeared that one arm of the monsoon would move westward, but lacking favorable wind support, it stalled in the south.

Its northern arm has moved eastward, reaching the hilly regions of West Bengal and Sikkim, where the large cardamom crop is expected to benefit from the monsoon rains. Good rainfall across South India—including Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu,

Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana—is also likely to benefit spice crops in particular. Dense cloud cover currently prevails along the Karnataka-Kerala coast, stretching from Mangaluru to Kannur. Rain is also expected in Nagercoil (Tamil Nadu) and Tiruppur (Kerala).