Monsoon Season in India: A Complete 2026 Guide with Dates

India's monsoon season is not a single event — it is a great weather system that sweeps across the subcontinent from the southwest, reaching different cities on different dates. Ten years of Open-Meteo Archive data show consistent timing: Kerala coast in early June, Mumbai by mid-June, Delhi around 1 July, and finally the north-eastern states by mid-July.

The southwest monsoon: onset dates by city

• Kerala coast (Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi): 1–3 June — first arrival
• Goa: 5–8 June — heavy rainfall throughout June and July
• Mumbai: 10–14 June — Mumbai monsoon is spectacular and disruptive
• Bangalore: 1–5 June — moderate rainfall, warm temperatures
• Chennai: Different pattern — main rains October-December (northeast monsoon)
• Delhi: 25 June – 5 July — brings relief from May-June heat
• Kolkata: 10–15 June — heavy rainfall, high humidity

How much rain does the monsoon bring?

Ten-year averages show extraordinary rainfall totals. Mumbai receives approximately 700mm in July alone — more than London gets in an entire year. Delhi accumulates 220mm in July. Goa: 850mm in June, 950mm in July.

This is not steady rain. Monsoon rainfall comes as heavy afternoon downpours, often interspersed with cloudy but dry mornings. Flash flooding is a real risk in Mumbai, coastal Karnataka, and river-adjacent parts of Kerala.

Travel implications

The monsoon is not necessarily a bad time to visit India — it depends on where and why. Some considerations:

• Kerala backwaters: The monsoon is arguably the most beautiful time — everything is green, waterfalls are full, prices are half of peak season.
• Goa: Most beaches close, restaurants shut for the season. Not a monsoon destination.
• Mumbai: Highly disruptive to travel. Local trains flood, roads jam. Avoid unless flexible.
• Ladakh & Kashmir: Rain-shadow regions — dry and clear during the mainland monsoon. Best time to visit.
• Rajasthan: Some monsoon relief brings modest rainfall and green desert landscapes. Better than 45°C May-June heat.
• Hill stations: Ooty, Munnar, Coorg — heavy rain but atmospheric.

When does the monsoon end?

The southwest monsoon typically withdraws in reverse order: Rajasthan and North India dry out by mid-September, central India by late September, and the southern coast by early October. The northeast monsoon then brings a second, smaller rainy season to Tamil Nadu (Chennai) and parts of Kerala from October to December.

Post-monsoon: the ideal Indian travel season

October and November are the best months for most of India — the heat is gone, the landscape is green, humidity has dropped. This is peak Indian tourism for a reason.

See our destination guides for Mumbai, Goa, and Mumbai in October for detailed monthly weather.