After a strong spell, the southwest monsoon is now gradually retreating, beginning with western Rajasthan and the Kachchh region in Gujarat. This year saw 8 per cent more rain than the seasonal average after 2023 witnessed a deficit of 6 per cent. With the monsoon season coming to an end, the country as a whole will most likely record “above normal” rainfall by September 30, despite the delayed emergence of La Nina. Before the onset of the rainy season, the India Meteorological Department had rightly predicted above-normal rainfall at 106 per cent of the long-period average of