Southwest monsoon withdraws from India, seventh-most delayed retreat since 1975: IMD

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, October 25

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The southwest monsoon withdrew from the entire country on Sunday, making it the seventh-most delayed retreat since 1975, according to the IMD.

In view of a significant reduction in rainfall activity over most parts of the country, the southwest monsoon has withdrawn from the entire country on Monday (October 25, 2021). Simultaneously, with the setting in of northeasterly winds in the lower tropospheric levels, the northeast monsoon rain has commenced over extreme south peninsular India on Monday, the IMD said in a statement.

The withdrawal of the southwest monsoon 2021 is the seventh-most delayed withdrawal (on or after October 25) during 1975-2021, it said.

The southwest monsoon retreated on or after October 25 five times between 2010 and 2021 in 2017, 2010, 2016, 2020, and 2021, according to the weather office.

The southwest monsoon started receding from west Rajasthan and adjoining Gujarat on October 6, making it the second-most delayed withdrawal since 1975. The withdrawal of monsoon from northwest India usually begins from September 17.

The monsoon withdrawal started on September 28 last year, October 9 in 2019, September 29 in 2018, September 27 in 2017 and September 15 in 2016.

The country received “normal” rainfall during the four-month southwest monsoon season from June to September. All-India monsoon rainfall during June 1 to September 30 was 87 cm against the Long Period Average (LPA) of 88 cm of 1961-2010 (99 percent of LPA).

This is for the third consecutive year that the country recorded rainfall in the normal or above normal category.