Monsoon withdrawal advances as India records one of its weakest seasons in decades | Today’s news
New Delhi: The Southwest Monsoon is steadily withdrawing from India, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday saying conditions are now favorable for its withdrawal from more parts of the country over the next three to four days.
The retreat follows a weak monsoon season with cumulative rainfall 13% below the long-term average, amid developing El Niño conditions over the equatorial Pacific that are expected to strengthen by the end of the year. India last experienced a sub-normal monsoon in 2023, when rainfall was 95% of the long period average (LPA).
Monsoon current has further withdrawn from remaining areas of Maharashtra, parts of Goa, Karnataka, Telangana and Odisha along with other areas of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.
Read also | Southwest Monsoon is advancing, rainfall will continue in several states
Conditions are becoming increasingly favorable for the monsoon to withdraw from more parts of East India, the Northern Peninsula and large parts of Northeast India over the next three to four days, the IMD said.
The Southwest Monsoon usually starts withdrawing from western Rajasthan in September before moving across northwest and central India and then towards the southern peninsula and eastern regions.
The rain continues
The retreat does not mean an immediate end to the rains. The IMD has forecast fairly widespread to widespread rains over sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim on October 9. Bihar is likely to witness rain during October 9-11, while Odisha may witness isolated to scattered rain till October 14.
Read also | South India is pinning its hopes on the Northeast Monsoon for relief from the rainfall
In the Northeast, rainfall is expected over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura in the coming days.
The withdrawal is also progressing across the northern peninsula, with the monsoon already receding from parts of Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Telangana. However, rainfall will persist over parts of South India, especially Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
The IMD has predicted isolated heavy rainfall over south interior Karnataka on 9 October and over Kerala and Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal during 9-10. October
In northwest India, scattered rainfall is expected in Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Punjab from 9 to 14 October, while parts of Uttar Pradesh could receive rain till 11 October.
The continued drawdown marks a seasonal shift towards the Northeast Monsoon, though rainfall remains active over parts of East, Northeast and South India.
Read also | Withdrawal of Monsoon begins from West Rajasthan
Weak monsoon
The southwest monsoon contributes about 70% of India’s annual rainfall and is critical to farm production, reservoir levels, and the rural economy.
Southwest Monsoon rainfall in 2026 was 87% LPA, with a cumulative rainfall of 759.4 mm during the June-September season, the fourth lowest since 2001 and the 13th lowest since 1901, according to the IMD.
India last experienced sub-normal monsoon in 2023 when rainfall was 95% of LPA.
Rainfall was below normal in most regions. Southern Peninsular India recorded just 76% of its LPA with 542.0 mm of rainfall, making it the fourth lowest monsoon rainfall in the region since 1901 and the second lowest since 2001.
Central India, on the other hand, fell to 97% LPA with normal rainfall. North West India recorded 94.1% LPA while North East India received 74%.
