New Delhi: After heavy rains in many states across the country, the southwest monsoon has started retreating via western Rajasthan and Kutch in Gujarat. The process of withdrawal of the southwest monsoon began on Monday. The Meteorological Department has forecast the formation of a low pressure area in the west-central Bay of Bengal on Tuesday. Due to this, there is a possibility of rain in some states of the east coast.

Monsoon is returning with a delay of six days

The India Meteorological Department said, "The southwest monsoon has withdrawn from some parts of west Rajasthan and Kutch on 23rd September against the normal date of 17th September. Conditions are favourable for further withdrawal of southwest monsoon from some more parts of west Rajasthan and adjoining areas of Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat during next 24 hours."

Heavy rain alert this week too

This time the country has received five percent more rain than normal. The Meteorological Department has predicted extremely heavy to very heavy rains in coastal and northern interior Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa, central, east and northeastern India this week.

There was less rain in these states

Five meteorological subdivisions recorded less rainfall this season. These include Jammu and Kashmir (-26 percent), Himachal Pradesh (-20), Arunachal Pradesh (-30 percent), Bihar (-28 percent) and Punjab (-27 percent). While nine subdivisions recorded more rainfall.

Southwest monsoon arrives on June 1

Usually the southwest monsoon hits Kerala by June 1 and spreads across the country by the first week of July. From mid-September it starts retreating from northwest India and withdraws completely by October 15. This season, the country recorded 880.8 mm of rain between June 1 and September 23.