The southwest monsoon covered the entire country on Thursday (July 9, 2026), a day later than its normal date, after advancing into the remaining parts of the north Arabian Sea, Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab, India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials said.

The nationwide coverage came 35 days after the monsoon reached Kerala on June 5. While the advance was slower than in recent years, the July 9 date is not unusual historically. Since 1971, the monsoon has covered the country on dates ranging from June 16 in 2013 to August 15 in 2002, according to IMD data.

The monsoon’s progress has accelerated over the past week, accompanied by widespread heavy rain across several parts of the country. Delhi and the National Capital Region received significant rainfall overnight and on Thursday, causing waterlogging and traffic disruptions in several areas.

The recent wet spell, however, does not necessarily indicate how rainfall will evolve through the rest of the month. The IMD has forecast below-normal rainfall for the country as a whole in July, defined as less than 94% of the long-period average, even as some parts of northwest and northeast India, east-central India and the eastern peninsula may receive normal to above-normal rainfall. July receives the highest rainfall among the monsoon months and is critical for agriculture. India’s current monsoon rainfall deficit stands at 15%, a sharp improvement from 38% on June 30.

Historical data show no simple relationship between the date of nationwide monsoon coverage and the eventual June-September rainfall. However, some prominent El Niño years associated with deficient monsoons also saw delayed coverage. In 2002, one of India’s most severe monsoon drought years, the monsoon covered the country only on August 15, the latest date in the 1971-2025 record. In 2009, another major drought year, coverage was completed on July 3, while in 2015 it occurred relatively early, on June 26.

The contrasting dates underline that the speed of the monsoon’s geographical advance is not, by itself, a reliable indicator of seasonal rainfall. El Niño can weaken monsoon circulation and affect the amount and distribution of rainfall even after the monsoon has formally covered the entire country.