MONSOON WITHDRAWAL DELAYED TILL OCTOBER 20: IMD

The withdrawal of the monsoon this year is likely to be considerably delayed because of the development of consecutive weather systems that will bring widespread and heavy rain to parts of peninsular and western India. This could also have an adverse impact on the harvest of crops in parts of the country, experts said.

The normal date for the complete withdrawal of the monsoon from the northern parts of the country is October 15, but the process has stalled this time and will resume only after October 20. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the withdrawal line of the monsoon continues to pass along Faizabad, Fatehpur, Nowgong, Rajgarh, Ratlam, Vallabh, Vidyanagar and Porbandar.

The winds continue to be predominantly south-westerly, indicating the monsoon is active.

A depression over west-central Bay of Bengal has moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 12 kmph during the past six hours. It is likely to intensify into a deep depression during the next 24 hours and move west-northwestwards and cross the north Andhra Pradesh coast between Narsapur and Vishakhapatnam on Monday night. The system is likely to bring widespread and heavy rain to Andhra Pradesh, Telanagana, Rayalseema, Maharashtra, Marathwada, Vidarbha, Kerala and Karnataka until October 14.

Sea conditions will be rough to very rough over west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal and southwest Bay of Bengal from October 11 and 12.