Southwest monsoon completely withdraws from entire India, says IMD

The southwest monsoon has completely withdrawn from the country and the northeast monsoon has begun over southeast peninsular India, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Tuesday.

This year, the southwest monsoon reached Kerala on May 30 and covered the entire country by July 2. It began its retreat from northwest India on September 23.

Typically, the southwest monsoon arrives in Kerala by June 1 and covers the country by July 8, with its withdrawal from northwest India starting around September 17 and completing by October 15.

"Today, the southwest monsoon has withdrawn from the entire country. Simultaneously, northeast monsoon rainfall activity has commenced over southeast peninsular India," the IMD said in a statement.

The country recorded 934.8 mm of rainfall compared to the normal of 868.6 mm -- the highest since 2020 -- in the monsoon season this year.

Intense low-pressure systems, especially in August and September, resulted in 8 per cent more rainfall than usua