The southwest monsoon has begun withdrawing from parts of west Rajasthan, marking the start of its annual retreat even as the country continues to face a 15% rainfall deficit.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Saturday that the monsoon had withdrawn from some parts of west Rajasthan on September 19. The withdrawal began two days after the normal date of September 17.
The weather agency said conditions were favourable for the monsoon to retreat from more parts of Rajasthan, as well as Saurashtra and Punjab, in the coming days.
Withdrawal begins in northwestern India
The withdrawal line has moved through parts of Rajasthan, including Ramgarh, Mohangarh, Phalodi and Khajuwala, according to the IMD.
The weather agency's criteria for declaring the beginning of withdrawal include the cessation of rainfall activity for five consecutive days, the establishment of an anticyclone in the lower atmosphere and a significant reduction in moisture.
The retreat from west Rajasthan is close to the climatological normal, although the exact timing can vary from year to year.
Countrywide rainfall remains below normal
Despite the beginning of the retreat, rainfall across India remains significantly below normal. Cumulative rainfall stood at 695.6 mm by September 19, around 15% below the normal level for the period.
Around 43% of India's geographical area remains in a rainfall deficit, according to the latest data reported from the IMD.
The seasonal rainfall has remained below normal during June, August and September so far, while July recorded rainfall that was only around 1% above normal.
Several regions have recorded substantial deficits. Meghalaya has registered a 59% shortfall, followed by Andhra Pradesh at 43%, Arunachal Pradesh at 41% and Bihar at 36%. Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Haryana and Telangana have also recorded significant deficits.
Further retreat expected
The IMD has said the monsoon is likely to withdraw from more areas of Rajasthan, Punjab and the Kutch-Saurashtra region over the next few days.
Meanwhile, rainfall activity is expected to continue over parts of eastern and central India. A low-pressure area has developed over the North Andaman Sea and is expected to move towards the north Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts, gradually intensifying into a depression.
The system is forecast to bring moderate to heavy rainfall to Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Sikkim and coastal Andhra Pradesh over the coming week.