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2 Jul 2026GEOGRAPHY3 questions

Monsoon Arrives in Delhi; Mumbai's Juhu Records 205 mm in 24 Hours

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Article summary

The Southwest Monsoon arrived in Delhi on 2 July 2026, marking the first July onset in the capital since 2021, as confirmed by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Simultaneously, Mumbai's Juhu station recorded an extreme 205 mm of rainfall within 24 hours, triggering urban flooding and traffic disruption across the metropolitan region. The normal onset date for Delhi is 27 June, making this year's arrival approximately five days late — a pattern consistent with the increasing variability of monsoon onset dates observed over recent decades. The IMD uses a multi-parameter criterion for declaring monsoon onset, including sustained westerly winds, specific humidity thresholds, and cloud cover, rather than rainfall alone. For UPSC aspirants, this event is a live case study in monsoon mechanics, IMD's forecasting framework, urban flood vulnerability, and the intersection of climate variability with agricultural and disaster management policy.

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recallTests whether you read the article and retained key facts.
1Q
applicationTests whether you can apply the concept to a new scenario.
1Q
analysisTests whether you can reason across multiple related facts.
1Q

Sample questions — answers revealed after test

GEOGRAPHYRecallEasy

Q1. According to the revised criteria adopted by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in 2016, which of the following correctly describes the conditions that must be simultaneously satisfied for declaring the onset of the southwest monsoon over a location?

ARainfall of at least 2.5 mm at 60% or more of designated stations, sustained westerlies at the 925 hPa pressure level, and Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR) values below 200 W/m² — all persisting for two consecutive days
BRainfall of at least 2.5 mm at a single designated station for five consecutive days, with wind direction shifting to southwesterly at the 850 hPa pressure level
CRainfall of at least 10 mm at 50% or more of designated stations, sustained westerlies at the 700 hPa pressure level, and OLR values below 220 W/m² for three consecutive days
DA sustained drop in Sea Surface Temperature (SST) of the Arabian Sea below 26°C, combined with westerly wind bursts at the 925 hPa level and at least 2.5 mm rainfall at 60% of stations
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GEOGRAPHYApplicationMedium

Q2. A district disaster management officer in Maharashtra receives the following 24-hour rainfall reports from four IMD stations on a single day during the monsoon season. Using IMD's official rainfall classification, which station's reading would trigger a Red Alert and mandatory activation of disaster preparedness protocols under the NDMA framework? Station P: 98 mm Station Q: 180 mm Station R: 207 mm Station S: 64 mm

AStation P, because rainfall exceeding 75 mm in 24 hours is classified as 'Heavy' and automatically triggers a Red Alert
BStation Q, because rainfall exceeding 115.6 mm in 24 hours is classified as 'Very Heavy' and is the threshold for Red Alert activation
CStation R, because its 207 mm reading crosses the IMD threshold of ≥204.5 mm/24 hours for 'Extremely Heavy Rainfall', which is the classification that triggers a Red Alert
DBoth Station Q and Station R, because any rainfall above 115.6 mm in 24 hours qualifies as either 'Very Heavy' or 'Extremely Heavy' and both categories independently trigger Red Alerts
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GEOGRAPHYAnalysisHard

Q3. Consider the following statements regarding the southwest monsoon over India: 1. The Bay of Bengal branch of the southwest monsoon typically reaches the Indian landmass before the Arabian Sea branch, entering through northeastern India via Myanmar. 2. IMD's monsoon onset declaration requires Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR) to fall below 200 W/m², because deep convective cloud systems associated with active monsoon conditions absorb and re-emit less longwave radiation than clear skies. 3. El Niño years are statistically associated with delayed onset or below-normal rainfall of the Indian summer monsoon because warm Pacific SSTs weaken the land–sea temperature gradient that drives cross-equatorial flow toward India. 4. Delhi's climatological normal date for monsoon onset is 1 July, and any arrival after this date is classified as 'delayed' by IMD. Which of the statements given above are correct?

A2 and 3 only
B1 and 4 only
C1, 2 and 3 only
D2, 3 and 4 only
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