Monsoon starts retreating from northeast, matches last year’s timeline

Guwahati: The southwest monsoon has begun its withdrawal from the northeast on Monday, aligning with the expected timeline and mirroring last year’s schedule, following a season of notably low rainfall in the region.According to India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials, the monsoon has already retreated from parts of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya on Monday.“Conditions are favourable for the monsoon to continue its retreat from the remaining areas of these states and other northeastern regions over the next two days,” an IMD official told TOI on Monday.The southwest monsoon has withdrawn from neighbouring West Bengal, IMD officials said on Monday.In the past five years, the southwest monsoon withdrawal was most delayed in 2020, completing the withdrawal process on Oct 28. In 2021 and 2024, the withdrawal concluded on Oct 14, which was the earliest in the last five years.“The normal date for monsoon withdrawal from the northeast is Oct 15. If the withdrawal proceeds as predicted, this year it will conclude on the usual date,” the IMD official added.With the monsoon likely to complete its withdrawal from the northeast in the next couple of days, Diwali next week is anticipated to be rain-free.

“There is no weather system expected to cause rain in the northeast next week,” a Met official said, adding that the recent heavy rainfall in Assam’s Barak Valley region is linked to thunderstorms.As the monsoon began its retreat, parts of the northeast experienced heavy to very heavy rainfall in the past 48 hours.In the past 24 hours, until 8.30am on Sunday, isolated places in Assam recorded heavy to very heavy rainfall (7-20cm). During this period, heavy rainfall (7-11cm) was also recorded in isolated places of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur.Met officials said from Oct to Dec, post-monsoon rainfall is expected to be below normal in the northeast.