Southwest Monsoon Completes Withdrawal From India: Record Rainfall Patterns and Agricultural Impact

India recorded 937.2 mm of rainfall against the normal of 868.6 mm during the monsoon season.

The southwest monsoon has completely withdrawn from India on Thursday, just one day after its usual retreat date of October 15, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Simultaneously, the northeast monsoon has established itself over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, south interior Karnataka and Kerala-Mahe regions.

This year marked an early monsoon onset, reaching Kerala on May 24, the earliest arrival since 2009 when it appeared on May 23. The monsoon covered the entire country by June 29, nine days ahead of the typical July 8 schedule, making it the earliest complete coverage since 2020.

Traditionally, the monsoon system begins over Kerala around June 1 and spreads across the entire country by July 8. Its withdrawal pattern typically starts from northwest India around September 17 and completes by October 15.

For the entire four-month monsoon period ending September 30, India experienced 937.2 mm of rainfall compared to the normal 868.6 mm, representing an 8 percent surplus.

The IMD has forecast above-normal rainfall for most Indian regions during the post-monsoon season (October-December), except for some northwestern areas. IMD Chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra predicted October would receive 15 percent more rainfall than normal following the abundant monsoon season.

East and northeast India recorded significantly lower rainfall at 1,089.9 mm, 20 percent below the normal 1,367.3 mm. Mohapatra noted this was the second lowest monsoon rainfall in the region since 1901, with only 2013 recording lower levels at 1,065.7 mm.

In contrast, northwest India received 747.9 mm of rainfall, a substantial 27.3 percent above the normal 587.6 mm, marking the highest since 2001 and the sixth highest since 1901. All districts in this region experienced above-normal rainfall during June, August, and September.

This excessive rainfall led to severe flooding in Punjab, with thousands of hectares of farmland submerged and lakhs of people displaced. The Himalayan states suffered from cloudbursts and flash floods that triggered landslides and widespread damage, with Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand reporting washed-out infrastructure while Jammu and Kashmir faced repeated cloudbursts.

The IMD attributed these surplus rains to active monsoon conditions enhanced by frequent western disturbances across the region.

Central India recorded 1,125.3 mm of rainfall, exceeding the normal 978 mm by 15.1 percent, while the southern peninsula received 9.9 percent more rainfall than its normal 716.2 mm.

Month-wise, India experienced surplus rainfall throughout the monsoon season: 8.9 percent in June, 4.8 percent in July, 5.2 percent in August, and 15.3 percent in September.

The 2025 monsoon season featured 18 low-pressure systems spanning 69 days, significantly higher than the average of 13 systems and 55 days.

Monsoon rains remain vital for India's agricultural sector, which sustains approximately 42 percent of the population and contributes 18.2 percent to the GDP. Additionally, the monsoon plays a crucial role in replenishing reservoirs essential for drinking water and power generation across the country.