Long-awaited monsoon rains arrived in India's financial capital Mumbai on Tuesday, cooling weeks of blazing heat despite persistent fears of water shortages with total rainfall so far staying below the long-term average.

Hundreds of millions of people in India rely on the annual monsoon winds to bring vital rains that sustain agriculture and industry.

However, climate change is making the country hotter and shifting weather patterns, and the presence of the El Nino weather phenomenon this year has brought warnings of lower rainfall.

India had received 60.6 millimetres (2.4 inches) of rainfall by Monday, 43 percent less than the normal amount for this point in the season, according to weather department figures.

Four people were killed in a lightning strike as thunderstorms and heavy rain battered large parts of West Bengal on Tuesday, uprooting trees and causing waterlogging that disrupted normal life.

The deaths occurred around 7.30 pm in Murshidabad district's Dhulian when lightning struck a boat ferrying passengers across the Ganga to Parlalpur in Malda district, officials said.

Four people died while at least 15 others were injured, they said, adding that the boatman returned to Dhulian immediately after the tragedy.

A thunderstorm hit several districts in the afternoon, while dark clouds over Kolkata gave way to rain around 2 pm. The downpour brought relief from humid conditions but caused widespread traffic disruptions across the metropolis.

With the possibility of El Nino and a weak or uncertain monsoon this year, the Central Government has intensified its preparedness for the Kharif season.

Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Rural Development Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan today chaired a high-level virtual meeting with Agriculture Ministers of states, senior officials, District Collectors, experts from ICAR, ICAR-CRIDA and the India Meteorological Department to review the situation across the country. He assured farmers that the Centre and state governments are jointly undertaking all necessary measures to address any challenge.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed the arrival of the Southwest Monsoon over Mumbai on Tuesday (June 23), bringing relief to people who had been grappling with a prolonged dry spell. This year's onset follows a significant delay, with the city witnessing unusually high temperatures throughout early June before the arrival of these seasonal rains.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), "The Southwest Monsoon has further advanced into the remaining parts of the central Arabian Sea, some more parts of Maharashtra including Mumbai, the remaining parts of Telangana & Odisha, some more parts of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand & Bihar, today the 23rd June, 2026."

Parts of Rajasthan recorded light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunder in the last 24 hours ending 8.30 am on Tuesday, the Meteorological Department said on Tuesday.

According to the department, Didwana recorded the highest rainfall in the state at 19.0 mm during this period.

Barmer registered the highest maximum temperature at 40.6 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, the highest minimum temperature was recorded at 31.0 degrees Celsius in Jodhpur and Bikaner, while the lowest minimum temperature stood at 22.8 degrees Celsius in Sirohi. 

Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 26.8 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, 1.2 notches below the season's normal, with the weather office predicting a partly cloudy sky.

No rainfall was recorded in any of the major weather stations in Delhi till 8.30 am.

Delhi's air quality was recorded in the 'moderate' category, with the average air quality index (AQI) being clocked at 145, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

With temperatures remaining unusually high despite the onset of the rainy season, the Latur and Nanded district administrations in Maharashtra have ordered all schools to function in the morning shift to safeguard students' health, officials said.

In Latur, nearly three weeks into June, rainfall has remained elusive due to the impact of El Nino conditions, while intense heat continues to prevail across the district.

Taking note of the situation, District Collector Dr Bharat Bastewad on Monday directed all schools, irrespective of medium or management, to conduct classes from 8 am to 12.30 pm from Tuesday onwards, the officials said.

Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and heavy rain are likely to affect several parts of Arunachal Pradesh on Tuesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its forecast of the state.

According to the district-wise weather warning issued by the Meteorological Centre here, thunderstorms with lightning and heavy rain are very likely at isolated places in West Kameng, East Kameng, Papum Pare, West Siang, Lower Dibang Valley, Lohit and Namsai districts on Tuesday.

Thunderstorms with lightning are also expected at isolated places in several other districts, including East Siang, Upper Siang, Lower Siang, Dibang Valley, Anjaw, Changlang, Tirap and Longding.

On Wednesday, the weather is expected to remain unsettled in many parts of the state.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday said that the Southwest Monsoon has advanced further into several parts of Maharashtra and is likely to progress into additional areas, including Mumbai, over the next 48 hours.

According to a press release issued by the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), the monsoon has advanced into more parts of the central Arabian Sea, Maharashtra and Telangana, while covering the remaining parts of Karnataka and extending into parts of Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand and Bihar.

The weather department said conditions are favourable for further advance of southwest monsoon into the remaining parts of the central Arabian Sea, some more parts of Maharashtra, including Mumbai, remaining parts of Telangana and Odisha, some more parts of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Bihar during the next 48 hours.

The forecast for today shows that the minimum and maximum temperatures in Delhi are likely to be in the range of 25 and 40 degrees Celsius, respectively, and partly cloudy skies are expected in parts of the city, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).