The southwest monsoon has entered its last phase. September, the fourth and final month of the monsoon season, is among the least rainy months along with June. While June is primarily consumed by the onset of monsoon, September typically marks the beginning of withdrawal, starting with west Rajasthan. As per normal climatological dates, withdrawal is usually complete from the northern plains, mountainous states, Delhi, and western parts of the country by the end of September. However, past records indicate a trend of delayed withdrawal and extended stay over northern India.
The southwest monsoon arrived early this year, on 24th May 2025, and covered the entire country well ahead of the normal schedule. Except for an initial slowdown—when monsoon advancement stalled for nearly two weeks—it has maintained a decent pace. The spatial and temporal distribution has been quite consistent.
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Notably, all three core monsoon months—June, July, and August—have recorded above-normal rainfall. Monthly rainfall stood at 109%, 105%, and 105% of the Long Period Average (LPA), respectively. This is a rare and exceptional pattern, seen only a few times in the past.
Between 2013 and 2024, at least one of these months had recorded below-normal rainfall. In 2014 and 2017, all three months received less than 100% of normal rainfall. Among the best-performing years, 2013 stands out, with June, July, and August recording 134%, 107%, and 98%, respectively. Overall, the southwest monsoon has performed well this season, with cumulative rainfall between 01 June and 31 August 2025 standing at 106% of the Long Period Average.
