Southwest monsoon withdrew, the seventh-longest delay since 1975 – IMD

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the southwest monsoon withdrew from the entire country on Monday, making it the seventh-most delayed retreat since 1975.

‘The southwest monsoon has withdrawn from the entire country today due to a significant decrease in rainfall activity over most parts of the country. Simultaneously, with the onset of northeasterly winds in the lower troposphere, the northeast monsoon rain has begun over extreme south peninsular India today,’ the IMD said in a statement.

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‘The withdrawal of the southwest monsoon 2021 from the entire country is the seventh-most delayed withdrawal between 1975 and 2021,’ the report said.

According to IMD data, the southwest monsoon withdrew on or after October 25 five times between 2010 and 2021 – in 2017, 2010, 2016, 2020, and 2021.

The southwest monsoon began to recede from west Rajasthan and neighboring Gujarat on October 6, making it the second-latest withdrawal since 1975. The southwest monsoon usually begins to leave northwest India on September 17.

According to IMD data, the monsoon withdrawal began on September 28 last year, October 9 in 2019, September 29 in 2018, September 27 in 2017, and September 15 in 2016.

Normal precipitation

During the four-month southwest monsoon season from June to September, the country received normal rainfall. The total monsoon rainfall in India from June 1 to September 30 was 87 cm, compared to the Long Period Average (LPA) of 88 cm from 1961 to 2010. (99 percent of its LPA).

This is the third year in a row that the country has received normal or above-normal rainfall. In 2019 and 2020, rainfall was above average.

Rainfall in the country as a whole was 110 percent in June, 93 percent in July, and 76 percent in August – the months with the most rain.

Also Read: July rainfall was 7% below the average – India Meteorological Department

However, the July and August shortfalls were made up for in September, when rainfall totaled 135% of the LPA. The northeast monsoon, which brings rain to southern states from October to December, is expected to be average.