Southwest Monsoon withdrawal begins, retreat from Delhi in 3-4 days: IMD

This is the second-most delayed withdrawal of the Southwest Monsoon since 1975 after the 2019 monsoon that started retreating only on October 9 that year, according to IMD.

This is the third consecutive year that the country has recorded rainfall in the normal or above-normal category. Rainfall was above normal in 2019 and 2020. (Photo | EPS)

NEW DELHI: The southwest monsoon started withdrawing from several parts of northwest India starting on Wednesday, against its usual date of September 17, making it the second most delayed withdrawal in the region over 46 years, said officials in the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

It is likely to withdraw from Delhi and adjoining areas over the next 48 hours, forecasters said.

As per IMD, this season monsoon withdrawal commenced on October 6, which is the second most-delayed withdrawal seen since 1975. Monsoon withdrawal commenced on October 9 in 2019 which made it the most delayed withdrawal.

"In view of an anti-cyclonic circulation in lower troposphere levels over western parts of northwest India and substantial reduction rainfall, the withdrawal of southwest monsoon has commenced on October 6," the IMD said in a statement.

According to IMD officials, the withdrawal line passes through Bikaner, Jodhpur, Jalore and Bhuj. The withdrawal in the national capital and adjoining areas in the northwest region is likely to commence in the next few days. 

"Monsoon is likely to withdraw from the city as well as neighbouring states of Harayna and Punjab over the next 24-48 hours. The major factor behind the late withdrawal is that that low-pressure areas continuously kept forming over the Bay of Bengal that travelled further to central parts, inducing rainfall," said Mahesh Palawat, vice-president of Skymet.