Dark clouds loomed over the skies of Palakkad, Kerala.
| Photo Credit: K K Mustafah
The summer kicks in and sets in hard, with the scorching sun right above us. Then we wait — eyes on the skies, hoping for the first splash of rain. And where does it fall first? On the lush, green land of God’s Own Country — Kerala. But what makes Kerala so special? Why is it the first to be kissed by the monsoon clouds?
Where does the monsoon come from?
Every year, as the blazing summer starts to fade, the southwest monsoon sets out on its journey. The rains usually arrive around June, marking the onset of the monsoon season. Warm air over the Indian subcontinent rises, pulling in cool, moisture-filled winds from the Arabian Sea, a part of the Indian Ocean.
These winds travel from the southwest direction, carrying dark clouds heavy with rain. This pulls in cool, moisture-laden winds from the Indian Ocean. Blowing in from the southwest, these winds carry dark, heavy rain clouds — ready to pour down and break the summer spell.
Why Kerala? (The first stop)
The geographical position of Kerala plays a huge role. The state lies on the southwest coast of India, making it the first landmass to be hit by the southwest monsoon after it travels across the Indian Ocean. Adding to this, the Western Ghats — a long mountain range — run parallel to the coast.
These mountains force the moisture-laden winds to rise. As the winds are pushed upwards, they cool down, leading to condensation and rainfall. This results in heavy early showers in Kerala, even before the rains begin their journey across the rest of India.
The southwest monsoon arrives in Kerala early, pushing further into neighbouring states, with above-normal rainfall predicted for India.
| Photo Credit:
India Meteorological Department
Did you know?
The monsoon arrived in Kerala earlier than usual this year — marking the earliest onset since 2009! While the official date is usually around June 1, this year the rain clouds reached Kerala ahead of schedule, surprising weather watchers and bringing early relief from the summer heat.
Then what happens? (The journey continues)
After drenching Kerala, the monsoon begins its march across India. It moves north and east, bringing much-needed rain to state after state. Slowly but steadily, the rain clouds cover the entire country — from the coastal plains to the mountains. It usually takes about a month for the monsoon to reach every corner of India.
Rainy facts
Wettest place on earth
Mawsynram in Meghalaya holds the title of the wettest place in the world, receiving over 11,000 mm of rainfall a year!
Driest place in India
Leh in Ladakh gets the least rainfall — sometimes less than 100 mm annually! That’s almost like a desert!
Kerala’s big welcome
Kerala doesn’t just get the first rains — in some years, it gets more than 300 cm of rain in the monsoon season alone!
Monsoon comes in two parts
India actually has two monsoons — the Southwest Monsoon (June to September) and the Northeast Monsoon (October to December), which mainly affects Tamil Nadu and parts of the east coast.
Festivals follow the rains
Many Indian festivals like Onam, Teej, and Pongal are closely tied to the arrival or end of the monsoon season.
Monsoon watch
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) tracks the monsoon’s progress and even predicts its arrival — people across the country follow the updates like cricket scores!
Published – June 24, 2025 12:54 pm IST