Southwest Monsoon:
The southwest monsoon rainfall, 7% more than normal, has started to withdraw
- The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the system had begun retreating from parts of southwest Rajasthan and Kutch.
- The “normal” or average date of withdrawal from southwest Rajasthan was September 17.
- The withdrawal of the monsoon was based on meteorological conditions such as an anti-cyclonic circulation (dry air that is the opposite of a cyclone), the absence of rain in the past five days and the water vapour imagery indicating dry weather conditions over the region.
- The monsoon withdrawal is a long-drawn process and extends into mid-October, though the IMD considers September 30 to be the final day of the season over India.
- The rain after that is categorised as “post-monsoon” rainfall.
- The September rainfall so far has been 11% more than usual, following a trend in recent years that is seeing excess rainfall in a month that marks the waning of the monsoon.
- Most of the rain, however, has been in the southern peninsula and central India, which have seen 29% and 33% more rain than what is usual for these regions in September.
