Monsoon withdraws from parts of Rajasthan, Kutch

The monsoon withdrew from parts of western Rajasthan and Kutch on Monday over a week after the normal date for commencement of the withdrawal on September 17, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

The IMD considers synoptic features before declaring withdrawal from the parts of northwest India after September 1. These include cessation of rainfall activity over the area for continuous five days, the establishment of anticyclones in the lower troposphere, and considerable reduction in moisture content as inferred from satellite water vapour imageries.

Further withdrawal is declared based on the spatial continuity, reduction in moisture in the water vapour imageries, and prevalence of dry weather for five days. The monsoon withdraws from the southern peninsula after October 1, when the circulation pattern indicates a change over from the south-westerly wind regime.

The IMD said the line of withdrawal of monsoon was passing through Anupgarh, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Bhuj, and Dwaraka. It added conditions were favourable for further withdrawal from more parts of western Rajasthan and adjoining areas of Punjab, Haryana, and Gujarat during the next 24 hours. A low-pressure area was likely to form over the west-central Bay of Bengal and the neighbourhood over the same period under the influence of a cyclonic circulation.

Very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall was expected in coastal and north interior Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Goa over the next three days. Heavy rainfall was likely in central, east, and northeast India from September 24 to 27.