Southwest Monsoon withdraws completely from country: IMD

The Southwest Monsoon withdrew from the entire country on Wednesday, the India Meteorological Department announced, eight days after it started receding from northwest India.

This is also perhaps the fastest withdrawal of the Southwest Monsoon, it said.

The IMD also announced onset of Northeast Monsoon that brings rainfall to Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala.

"The Southwest Monsoon has withdrawn from the entire country and simultaneously Northeast Monsoon rains have commenced over Tamil Nadu and adjoining areas of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala," the IMD said in a statement.

A cyclonic circulation lies over east-central Arabian Sea off south Karnataka coast at lower levels. A trough runs from north Sri Lanka coast to above cyclonic circulation at lower levels, the IMD said in a statement.

A trough in easterlies runs from southwest Bay of Bengal off south Tamil Nadu coast to west-central Bay of Bengal at lower levels, it added.

Mahesh Palawat, Vice President (Meteorology and Climate Change) Skymet Weather, said the withdrawal of monsoon was "unusual" this year.

Usually it takes 45 days for the monsoon to withdraw completely, but this year it retreated in only eight days, he said.

Palawat said the Southwest Monsoon usually starts withdrawing from northwest India from September 1. By September 15, it withdraws from west Rajasthan, the Rann of Kutch, parts of Punjab and Haryana. By October 1, it retreats from the entire northwest India, east and west Uttar Pradesh, west Madhya Pradesh, entire Gujarat, centyral Maharashtra and Goa.

By October 15, it recedes from Odisha, Chhattisgarh, north interior Karnataka and entire Maharashtra, Palawat said.

He added that this year, because of an anti-cyclone, the withdrawal was rapid.

"Usually, the anti-cyclone forms over central Pakistan and then proceeds to northwest India. This helps in withdrawal of monsoon. But this time it took place over northwest India," Palawat added.

K J Ramesh, former Director General of the IMD, however, added that there was nothing unusual in the fast withdrawal of the monsoon as anti-cyclonic circulation already persists over northwest India.

Monsoon made its onset over Kerala on June 1, eight days after its normal onset date. This also marks the commencement of the four-month rainfall season. The country received above normal rainfall this year.