India monsoon rains to start withdrawing from Saturday: IMD

NEW DELHI: The southwest monsoon is expected to begin withdrawing from northwest India Saturday onwards, the weather office has said. This year's withdrawal of monsoon rains is almost a month behind schedule since the process normally begins from September 1.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday said conditions were becoming favourable for withdrawal of southwest monsoon around September 29.

“Prevalence of dry weather is likely over west Rajasthan from tomorrow. Reduction in the moisture associated with the monsoon flow and a changeover in the lowlevel wind pattern are also likely over this region from 27 September,” IMD said in a weather forecast on Monday.


These are indicative of likely commencement of withdrawal of southwest monsoon from western parts of Rajasthan around September 29, the forecast added.

Over the last week, northwest and Central India have received what looks like the last spell of monsoonal showers this year, in what has been a rather erratic June to September southwest monsoon season.

With all four months of the season consistently registering a shortfall in normal rains, countrywide rainfall since June 1 remains 9% below normal. The rainfall figures have been weighed down by below normal rains in the east and northeast region, where rainfall since the beginning of the season remained 24% short of the normal levels as on Monday.

IMD expects a normal monsoon season this year, with rainfall figures pegged at 97% of average. The country nearly escaped a scare of drought-conditions this year, as rainfall hovered at 10% below normal levels last week.

Independent weather forecasting agencies, including Skymet and US-based Accuweather, had warned of anomalies in monsoon season this year. Skymet in August downgraded its forecast to below normal levels, with rainfall figures expected to close at 92% of average.