Monsoon set to depart, but more rain forecast from Tamil Nadu to Leh. Here's why

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted fresh rains and snowfall in the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh region from Friday, even amid predictions that the southwest monsoon will depart by October 26.

Multiple parts of the country, from Bihar to Uttarakhand, have been witnessing heavy rainfalls over the past several weeks, which led to severe waterlogging and disruption of normal lifestyle just ahead of the onset of winter. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted fresh rains and snowfall in the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh region from Friday, even amid predictions that the southwest monsoon will depart by October 26. According to the MeT department, this will pave the way for the commence of the northeast monsoon, bringing rains over Tamil Nadu, parts of Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Puducherry, and Andhra Pradesh.

Monsoon started withdrawing very late this year, on October 6 against the normal date of September 17, but then withdrew rapidly from different parts of the country, according to scientists. (HT PHOTO)

As per IMD's predictions, the southwest monsoon will withdraw completely from the entire country around October 26. After its late withdrawal from northwest India, the southwest monsoon remains active over some parts of the country, the withdrawal line currently passing through Kohima, Silchar, Krishnanagar, Baripada, Malkangiri, Nalgonda, Bagalkote, and Vengurla.

The IMD said that the conditions will become favourable for the further retreat of southwest monsoon from around October 23 in the remaining parts of northeast India, the entire north Bay of Bengal region, the remaining parts of West Bengal and Odisha, certain parts of central Bay of Bengal, parts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, entire Goa, some more parts of Karnataka and the central Arabian Sea.

The MeT department said that with northeasterly winds likely to hit the lower tropospheric (lowest level of the Earth's atmosphere) levels over the Bay of Bengal and extreme south Peninsular India, the southwest monsoon is likely to leave the entire country around next Tuesday. It is from this date that northeast monsoons are also set to commence over southeast Peninsular India.

The withdrawal of the southwest monsoon from northwest India commenced on October 6, this time being the second-most delayed withdrawal of the southwest monsoon since 1975.