Southwest monsoon withdraws completely from India, nearly 5 months after onset: IMD

The southwest monsoon withdrew from the entire country on Monday, making it the seventh-most delayed retreat since 1975, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

“In view of a significant reduction in rainfall activity over most parts of the country, the southwest monsoon has withdrawn from the entire country today (October 25, 2021). Simultaneously, with the setting in of northeasterly winds in the lower tropospheric levels, the northeast monsoon rain has commenced over extreme south peninsular India today,” the IMD said in a statement.

“The withdrawal of the southwest monsoon 2021 from the entire country is the seventh-most delayed withdrawal (on or after October 25) during 1975-2021,” it said.

The southwest monsoon retreated on or after October 25 five times between 2010 and 2021 in 2017, 2010, 2016, 2020 and 2021, the IMD data showed.