Southwest monsoon begins early withdrawal 

September 17, 2025

The southwest monsoon began its withdrawal from western Rajasthan on September 14, three days ahead of its normal date of September 17, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its latest update. This marks the earliest withdrawal of the season in the past ten years.

In contrast, the withdrawal had started on September 23 in 2024 and on September 25 in 2023. The onset this year was also earlier than usual, beginning on May 24 instead of the normal June 1. The season has brought both extremes: while much of the country recorded rainfall within IMD’s “normal” range, several states faced flash floods, landslides and riverine floods.

By September 15, the country as a whole had received rainfall seven per cent above normal. Only four states recorded deficient rainfall between June 1 and September 15, all of them in eastern and northeastern India. Meghalaya, usually one of the wettest states, saw the sharpest shortfall with 44 per cent deficit, followed by Arunachal Pradesh with 40 per cent.

In contrast, arid and semiarid regions recorded unusually high rainfall. Rajasthan received 68 per cent more than the seasonal average, the highest among all states. The Union Territory of Ladakh reported the largest excess in the country, at 413 per cent. These two were the only regions to record “large excess” rainfall, defined by IMD as more than 60 per cent above normal.

Twelve states and Union Territories recorded “excess” rainfall, ranging from 20 per cent to 59 per cent above average. Six of these were located in northwest India. Eighteen others, including several large states, received rainfall within the normal range.

District-level figures underline the uneven spread of rainfall. About 20 per cent of districts had deficient or large deficient rainfall during the season. Around one-third of the districts received excess or large excess, while nearly half recorded normal rainfall.

Even as the monsoon begins to retreat from the northwest, southern and central India continue to receive rain from low-pressure systems originating in the Bay of Bengal and other circulations over land. A low-pressure area over Telangana and adjoining Vidarbha remained active on September 14 before weakening the next day. IMD has forecast the possible formation of another low-pressure system in the Bay of Bengal around September 20, which may influence rainfall in central and eastern parts of the country.

The early withdrawal this year follows a pattern of unusual shifts in both onset and retreat of the southwest monsoon, highlighting its growing variability. The season’s contrasting picture of excess rains in dry regions and deficits in rain-rich states underlines the challenges of managing water resources and disaster risks across the country.