The southwest monsoon has withdrawn from the country following the usual schedule, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday. The weather office also declared the simultaneous onset of the northeast monsoon which was ahead of its normal date of October 20.
“The northeast monsoon activity has commenced over Tamil Nadu, Karaikal in Puducherry, Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra Pradesh, interior parts of south Karnataka, Kerala, and Mahe on October 16,” the Met office said.
This year, rainfall was reported over these regions over the last week, with steady showers reported over Tamil Nadu and Puducherry over the last 24 hours.
IMD said several factors like the presence of an upper air cyclonic circulation over the Comorin area extending up to mid-tropospheric levels, the setting in of easterly or northeasterly winds over southern peninsular India in the lower tropospheric levels and an increase and widespread rainfall over southeast peninsular India after mid October led to the simultaneous exit and onset of monsoon.
Since 2020, the withdrawal of southwest monsoon coincided with the onset of northeast monsoon in 2021, 2023 and 2024. The trend was observed because of the delayed retreat of southwest monsoon, stretching into late October.
This year, Kerala witnessed early monsoon on May 24 as against its usual arrival on June 1. The usual date for the complete monsoon retreat from the country is October 15.
