The Southwest Monsoon is set to retreat from west Rajasthan and adjoining areas from September 28. Overall, the country has received 951.3 mm rainfall than normal of 869.4 mm, about 9 per cent extra rainfall until September 27.
As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), 19 states have received normal monsoon rainfall while 10 received excess or extra excess rainfall so far. Parts of north India -- Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur--- have recorded deficient rainfall. The Union Territory of Ladakh has recorded high deficiency of rainfall this year. Due to good rainfall in 29 states, kharif crops acreage has recorded 1116.88 lakh ha as compared to last year 1066.06 lakh ha.
“Conditions are becoming favourable for withdrawal of monsoon from west Rajasthan and adjoining areas of northwest India from September 28 onwards. Going by the visible trend, a sharp decline in rain activity over central India can be expected from October second week onwards,” the IMD said.
June recorded 17 per cent more rainfall, while July saw 10 per cent deficiency. However, there was an excess rainfall in August -- the month recorded 27 per cent more rainfall than normal. In September, northwest India recorded a 46.8% rain deficiency while south peninsula received 67.7% surplus rain; east and northeast India received 12.8% surplus rain; central India recorded a 6.1% rain deficiency.
Rainfall in the range of 96 to 104 per cent of the Long Period Average (LPA) is considered as 'normal', while precipitation in the range of 104 to 110 per cent of the LPA is 'excess'. Large parts of the country in west and south India, including Gujarat, Goa, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, have received excess rainfall. Sikkim is the only state to have received large excess rainfall.
As per IMD data, East and North East India has witnessed 7 percent, Central India 16 percent extra and South Peninsula 30 percent extra rainfall this monsoon season. North West India has witnessed 15 percent rain deficiency.
Normally, the monsoon withdraws from most areas of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, west Uttar Pradesh and some parts of east UP and west Madhya Pradesh, by October 1. The normal date for commencement of monsoon withdrawal from northwest India is September 17 and for complete withdrawal from the country is October 15, as per the new monsoon onset and withdrawal dates issued by IMD in April this year.