The southwest monsoon has started withdrawing from parts of West Rajasthan, marking the beginning of its retreat from the country, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Saturday.
According to the weather agency, the monsoon withdrew from some parts of West Rajasthan on September 19, two days later than its normal withdrawal date of September 17. The IMD said atmospheric conditions remain favourable for the monsoon to retreat from more parts of Rajasthan as well as some areas of Punjab, Saurashtra and Kutch during the next three to four days.
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“The southwest monsoon has withdrawn from some parts of West Rajasthan today, the 19th September, 2026, against the normal date of 17th September,” the IMD said in its latest update.
The southwest monsoon had covered the entire country by July 9 this year after making its onset over Kerala on June 4.
Despite its widespread coverage, rainfall during the season has remained below normal in several parts of India. Between June 4 and September 19, the country recorded a cumulative rainfall deficit of 15 per cent, according to IMD data.
The Southern Peninsula has experienced the largest shortfall so far, with rainfall 29 per cent below normal.
Rainfall was particularly deficient at the beginning of the monsoon season. In June, India recorded just 106.8 mm of rainfall against the normal average of 165 mm, resulting in a deficit of 35 per cent.
July was the only month during the season to record above-normal rainfall. Against a normal average of 280.5 mm, the country received 283.3 mm during the month.
August also saw below-normal rainfall. The IMD had said in its monthly forecast on August 31 that India received 213.3 mm of rainfall during the month, making it the seventh-lowest August rainfall total recorded since 2001.
The IMD has linked part of the rainfall deficit to the emergence of El Niño conditions over the equatorial Pacific in June.
El Niño is one of the three phases of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), a climate pattern involving changes in sea-surface temperatures across the central and eastern tropical Pacific, along with associated atmospheric changes.
El Niño conditions are generally associated with a warming influence globally and can contribute to weaker monsoon rainfall over India. The opposite phase, La Niña, is generally associated with cooler conditions and can support stronger rainfall in the Indian monsoon region.
ENSO can also remain in a neutral phase when neither El Niño nor La Niña conditions are dominant.
With the monsoon now beginning its withdrawal, the IMD is expected to continue monitoring weather patterns across northern and western parts of the country as the retreat progresses in the coming days.
