Monsoon over now, says IMD

New Delhi, October 16 

The southwest monsoon withdrew from the entire country on Wednesday, the India Meteorological Department announced, eight days after it started receding from northwest India.

This is also perhaps the fastest withdrawal of the southwest monsoon, it said. The IMD also announced onset of northeast monsoon that brings rainfall to Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala. 

Mahesh Palawat, Vice President (Meteorology and Climate Change) Skymet Weather, said the withdrawal of monsoon was “unusual”  this year.  Usually it takes 45 days for the monsoon to withdraw, but this year it retreated in only eight days,  because of an “anti-cyclone”.  

KJ Ramesh, former Director General of the IMD, however, said there was nothing unusual in the fast withdrawal of the monsoon as anti-cyclonic circulation  persists. — PTI