South-west monsoon to start withdrawing from next week

The south-west monsoon is set to begin its return march next week after bringing bountiful showers since late August which brought cheers to millions of farmers.

The late rally of the monsoon helped cut the deficieny in rainfall experienced in the first two months of the season.

According the data released by the weather office this evening for this season, rainfall was just 5% less than normal till now as against 31% deficiency in June.

In July, the country received 13% deficient rains prompting the government to roll out relief measures.

"Conditions are becoming favourable for withdrawal of southwest monsoon from many parts of northwest and west India during second half of the week," the India Meteorological Department said.

This will be the seventh straight year when the withdrawal of monsoon, which normally begins in the first week of September, has been delayed to the third week of the month.

Even in 2005, when the withdrawal had started on September two, the progress had stalled after the initial phase with the next push taking place towards month end.

Usually monsoon withdraws from the entire country by September end, but in the past eight years this has been delayed till as long as October 11.

Copious rains in August and the first half of September have helped dispel fears of a widespread drought, which seemed imminent after deficient rains in June and July.

The remarkable August and September rally saw 24 of the 36 meteorological sub-divisions get excess or normal monsoon.

The country as a whole has received 798.3 mm rainfall between June 1 and September 21 as against the normal of 843.1 mm for the period.