The southwest monsoon is expected to reach eastern Uttar Pradesh within the next one or two days, bringing much-needed relief from the intense heat and raising hopes among farmers preparing for the paddy sowing season. However, according to weather experts, the monsoon’s progress has slowed significantly across eastern India, delaying its arrival in the state.
Under normal conditions, the monsoon enters Uttar Pradesh around June 18 and reaches Lucknow by about June 23. This year, changing atmospheric conditions are expected to push back its arrival by five to 10 days. Meteorologists believe the monsoon will enter eastern Uttar Pradesh around June 22 through the Bay of Bengal route before gradually advancing westwards. Widespread rainfall across the state is expected only after the system gathers momentum.
Weather data from recent years indicates that the 2026 monsoon is running four to five days behind its usual pace. Its advance stalled during the middle of June due to changes in atmospheric circulation, prolonging hot and humid conditions across the region. In comparison, the monsoon arrived between June 17 and 20 in 2025 and spread steadily across the state. In 2024, it reached Uttar Pradesh around June 25, slightly later than normal, before covering the state by the end of the month. The monsoon entered Uttar Pradesh from Bihar on June 24 in 2023 and spread across the state within a week. In 2022, it arrived close to schedule, with pre-monsoon showers followed by heavier rainfall towards the end of June.
Why Has The Monsoon Slowed? According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the advance of monsoon winds has stalled over parts of Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. Mohammad Danish, a scientist based in Lucknow, said the slowdown is not due to a lack of moisture but rather sudden changes in upper atmospheric patterns. He noted that such interruptions are not uncommon and that the monsoon is expected to regain strength once conditions become favourable.
At present, the monsoon has advanced into southern Maharashtra and parts of Odisha, West Bengal and Bihar. However, the delayed progress has raised concerns over reduced rainfall, water shortages and rising temperatures in affected regions. Weather experts have also linked the slower advance to the influence of a strong El NiƱo pattern over the Pacific Ocean, a phenomenon often associated with weaker monsoon activity across India.
Despite the delayed arrival of the main monsoon system, the IMD has issued a yellow alert for several districts of Uttar Pradesh, warning of strong winds, lightning and light rainfall. Wind speeds of 50 to 60 kmph are likely in many places, with gusts reaching up to 70 kmph in isolated areas.
Districts in eastern Uttar Pradesh, including Maharajganj, Varanasi, Sonbhadra, Mirzapur, Kushinagar, Ghazipur, Chandauli, Mau, Ballia, Gorakhpur, Deoria, Siddharthnagar and Sant Kabir Nagar, are expected to experience adverse weather conditions. Pre-monsoon showers and dust storms are also likely in several major urban centres, including Noida, Ghaziabad, Lucknow and Prayagraj, offering temporary relief from the heat while the state awaits the full arrival of the southwest monsoon.
