Monsoon Retreat Begins; Net Rainfall 9% Above Normal Till Now

The National Weather Department i.e. the IMD reported that the southwest monsoon had retreated from parts of west Rajasthan and Punjab, which is roughly 11 days after his normal withdrawal date. The Met Department said conditions were becoming favorable for its further withdrawal from some more parts of Rajasthan and Punjab and some parts of Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh during next two to three days. There is forecast for Dry weather to prevail over parts of north India for the next five days. 

This will be the second straight year for India to experience above average monsoon rainfall. The Southwest monsoon had arrived early in many states this year, thus enhancing chances for higher farm output and a boost for Asia's third-biggest economy as it reels from the corona pandemic. The monsoon arrived over Kerala on June 1, its normal onset date. It covered the entire country on June 26, which was roughly a fortnight more than its normal schedule. The southwest monsoon season, which offsets nation’s farm-dependent economy largely, generally arrives first in the southern part of Kerala state in the first week of June and by September, starts retreating from the state of Rajasthan.   

According to official reports withdrawal of southwest monsoon was recorded from some parts of west Rajasthan and Punjab on Sep 28^th. The monsoon has withdrawn from the country late this year. Earlier Monsoons used to retreat from the western part of Rajasthan. The trend has changed in recent years and the new withdrawal date for west Rajasthan generally begins from September 17. The official rainfall season in the country starts from June 1 to September 30. The monsoon has started retreating from parts of north India, but other regions of the country continue receiving rainfall presently. The Met Department reported that a trough runs from a cyclonic circulation over east Bihar to west-central Bay of Bengal, off Andhra Pradesh coast across Gangetic West Bengal and coastal Odisha. 

This pattern may result in scattered to fairly widespread rainfall with moderate thunderstorm and lightning over south peninsular India during the next three days, and isolated heavy rainfall is predicted over Tamil Nadu during the next two days. The IMD added that till September 27, Indian’s net rainfall has been 9 per cent above normal. Rainfall in the range of 96-104 per cent of the Long Period Average (LPA) is considered as 'normal'; 104-106 per cent of the LPA as 'above normal'. Rainfall beyond 110 per cent is considered as 'excess' while below 94 is considered as “deficient”.