Mumbai experienced its heaviest rainfall in 107 years on Monday, the first day of this year’s monsoon, as torrential downpours lashed the city. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the southwest monsoon reached Mumbai on May 26—16 days ahead of its usual onset date of June 11. This is the earliest monsoon arrival in the city between 2001 and 2025.

"The southwest monsoon has advanced over Mumbai today, May 26, 2025, significantly earlier than the typical onset date of June 11. This marks the earliest arrival over the city in the past 24 years," said an official IMD statement.

The rainfall shattered a long-standing record from May 1918. As per Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) records, parts of South Mumbai received more than 200 mm of rain between midnight and 11 a.m. on Monday. The Colaba observatory alone recorded 295 mm of rainfall, surpassing the 1918 record of 279.4 mm.

Between 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m., the IMD recorded rainfall across several locations: Colaba (105.2 mm), Santacruz (55 mm), Bandra (68.5 mm), Juhu Airport (63.5 mm), Chembur (38.5 mm), Vikhroli (37.5 mm), Mahalaxmi (33.5 mm), and Sion (53.5 mm).

IMD scientist Sushma Nair confirmed the exceptional timing: “The southwest monsoon arrived in Mumbai on May 26. This is the earliest monsoon onset the city has seen in 75 years.” For reference, last year’s monsoon reached Mumbai on June 6, while the average onset date is June 11.