New Delhi: A massive monsoon cloud band stretching nearly 10,000 kilometres from north India to South Korea has been captured in the latest satellite imagery,
marking one of the strongest phases of the 2026 southwest monsoon. The length of this rain-bearing system stretches through the Himalayas, China and parts of East Asia, showing the extent of the present weather pattern.
The active monsoon has already enhanced the rainfall over India. The country received about 170-180 percent of the normal daily monsoon rainfall during the last two days, according to estimates of rainfall, which is the wettest of the season so far. It was a “massive monsoon day”, meteorologists said, and heavy rain was reported in several areas.
What is behind the giant rain band?
The continuous belt of dense clouds, as seen in the satellite pictures, stretches over the central, northern and eastern parts of India, then over the Himalayan region towards China and South Korea. Meteorologists say the cloud band was created when moisture-rich winds from the Indian Ocean were able to collide with the active monsoon trough and other weather systems throughout Asia.
Warm humid air ascends, cools and produces rain-bearing clouds that produce widespread showers and thunderstorms on a large scale. This monsoon convergence zone is a response to the broad-scale circulation of the atmosphere that links weather systems across the continent, experts say.
Heavy rain brings relief and fresh risks
The predicted rainfall for the latest spell is likely to help improve the seasonal rainfall in India, as the previous couple of weeks saw some uneven monsoon activity. Very heavy rains are already occurring in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi-NCR, Rajasthan and parts of eastern and northeastern India, and those low-pressure systems coming from the Bay of Bengal are continuing to add to the rain.
Simultaneously, the authorities have alerted people about flash floods, waterlogging, landslides, and rising water levels, particularly in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. During the week, the forecasters predict that the active monsoon phase will persist, which is helpful for kharif cropping activities and to fill the reservoirs.
