The Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) is expected to hit northwest India on June 20 this year – four to six days ahead of its normal onset period of June 24-26. Though it is the same as last year, monsoon had entered the region on June 27 in 2024, on June 24 in 2023 and on June 29 in 2022. In 2021, the onset date was June 13.
Over the past 26 years since the turn of this century, monsoon has entered the region before June 20 only on five occasions, the earliest being June 6, 2000. The other years are 2021, 2013, 2008 and 2004.
A map showing the progress of the monsoon released by India Meteorological Department (IMD) on May 16 forecasts the monsoon touching the easternmost fringes of Himachal Pradesh and north-eastern Uttarakhand on June 20.
The monsoon is expected to cover most parts of these two states by June 25 and advance further over the eastern halves of Punjab and Haryana by June 30. The entire region is expected to be covered by July 5 and the last remaining stretches of western Rajasthan by July 8.
In 2025, the entire state of Himachal was covered by June 24. The monsoon had advanced through some parts of Punjab on June 22 and covered the entire state on June 26, whereas in Haryana it advanced through some parts June 24 and covered the entire state on June 29.