Southwest Monsoon Withdrawal Begins; Heavy Rainfall Expected Over These Regions During Next 3-4 Days
All India Seasonal cumulative rainfall % departure during this year’s monsoon Season’s Rainfall (from June 1 to September 18) is +7%.
Southwest Monsoon 2024: In its latest press release on Monday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed that the Southwest monsoon has withdrawn from some parts of West Rajasthan and Kachchh, today i.e. September 23 against the normal date of September 17. It also stated that the conditions remain favourable for further withdrawal of Southwest Monsoon from some more parts of West Rajasthan and adjoining areas of Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat during next 24 hours.
The weather agency had earlier predicted that the southwest monsoon may start withdrawing from the country between September 19 and 25. Typically, the southwest monsoon makes its onset over Kerala by June 1 and covers the entire country by July 8, but this year the onset began early with Monsoon arriving in Kerala on May 30. Generally, it starts retreating from northwest India around September 17, withdrawing entirely by October 15.
As the monsoon withdrawals begins, IMD has also warned of enhanced rainfall activity with very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall over Coastal & North Interior Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa state during the next 3 days and heavy rainfall over central, east & northeast India from September 24 to 27. Check region-wise prediction below.
Moonsoon 2024 Stats
Since June 1, when the four-month monsoon season starts, the country has received 871.9 mm of rainfall, 7% higher than the normal of 812.1 mm, until September 18.
Central India region has received the highest rainfall during this period with 1086.5 mm of rainfall, which is 18% higher than the normal of 923.6 mm. Despite being the second wettest region in India this monsoon, East & northeast India has received 14% lower than normal rainfall. The region has received 1081.6 mm of rainfall against the normal range of 1262.3 mm.
South Peninsula and Northwest India also recorded above-normal rainfall this Monsoon.
Monsoon Season’s Rainfall Status
rainfall in mm
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had earlier predicted above-normal rainfall this monsoon season, with cumulative precipitation estimated at 106% of the long-period average of 870 mm. It had accurately predicted below-normal monsoon rainfall in northeast India, normal in the northwest and above-normal in the central and south peninsular regions.
According to the weather agency, Punjab, apart from the northeastern states, Himachal Pradesh, the Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and a significant part of Bihar have recorded deficient rainfall so far this season. The monsoon is critical for India's agricultural landscape, with 52 per cent of the net cultivated area relying on it. Monsoon rain is also crucial for replenishing reservoirs critical for drinking water and power generation.
Latest Weather Forecast
IMD has issued weather forecasts and warnings for the next 4-5 days predicting heavy rainfall activity over the following regions.
South Peninsular India
Isolated extremely heavy rainfall is very likely over Coastal Karnataka on September 24.
Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely over North Interior Karnataka on September 24.
Isolated heavy rainfall is very likely over Kerala & Mahe, Coastal Andhra Pradesh & Yanam, Rayalaseema, Telangana, South Interior Karnataka on September 24.
Heavy rainfall is likely over Coastal Karnataka, Kerala & Mahe on September 25.
Telangana, Coastal Andhra Pradesh & Yanam are also likely to receive heavy rainfall until September 25, whereas Rayalaseema, North Interior Karnataka will receive heavy rainfall until September 24.
West India
Isolated extremely heavy rainfall is very likely over Konkan & Goa on September 24 and 25.
Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely over Konkan & Goa on September 26.
Heavy to very heavy rainfall is also predicted over Madhya Maharashtra during September 26 and over Marathwada on September 24.
Gujarat Region is also likely to witness extremely heavy showers on September 25 & 26.
Isolated heavy rainfall is also very likely over Gujarat Region, especially Saurashtra & Kutch from September 26 to 28.
Central India
Isolated heavy rainfall is very likely over Vidarbha and Chhattisgarh during September 26 and over Madhya Pradesh from September 24 to 27.
East & Northeast India
Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely over Assam & Meghalaya on September 25 & 26.
Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is also very likely over SubHimalayan West Bengal & Sikkim & Arunachal Pradesh on September 26.
Isolated heavy rainfall is very likely over Assam & Meghalaya during the week. Odisha is likely to witness heavy showers until September 26.
West Bengal & Sikkim, Bihar, Jharkhand will also witness heavy showers from September 25 to 27.
Heavy rainfall activity is also predicted over Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram & Tripura until September 29.
Northwest India
Isolated heavy rainfall is very likely over Uttarakhand on September 25 & 26 and over East Uttar Pradesh on September 26 & 27.
- with inputs from PTI
