The southwest monsoon officially arrived over Delhi on July 2, 2026, five days after its normal onset date of June 27, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The last time the monsoon hit the national capital on July 2 was in 2016 and 2017. In 2025, the monsoon had arrived on June 29.
Rainfall and temperature records
Early Thursday morning, IMD's Safdarjung base station recorded 4.6 mm of rainfall, while 20 mm was recorded at the Tukmirpur station. The maximum temperature in the city was 34.8 degrees Celsius.
Forecast for further advance
On July 1, the IMD forecasted that conditions were favorable for the further advance of the southwest monsoon into additional parts of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, and Punjab, as well as some parts of Rajasthan, over the next two days.
“A Low-Pressure area likely over northwest Bay of Bengal around 3rd July, 2026. As a result, monsoon is likely to be in active phase over central parts of the country during next 5-6 days,” IMD said.
Impact and expectations
The delayed onset is consistent with the monsoon's variable behavior in recent years. The active phase expected from July 3 may bring widespread rainfall to central India, potentially aiding agriculture but also raising the risk of flooding in low-lying areas.
