The India Meteorological Department has announced the withdrawal of the southwest monsoon from the rest of India and the onset of the northeast monsoon over southern India, with the seasonal transition taking place on October 15, 2026, the normal date for the changeover.
The southwest monsoon normally begins its retreat from Rajasthan on September 17 and withdraws from the country by October 15. This year, the withdrawal began on September 19 and concluded within the normal seasonal window, according to the IMD. The monsoon remained active for 133 days this year, compared with the normal duration of 137 days from its arrival in Kerala until its withdrawal from the country.
The northeast monsoon is now active over southern India and adjoining parts of the Bay of Bengal. The IMD said winds near the surface across southern and eastern India, including the southern, central and adjoining northwestern Bay of Bengal, are currently moving from the northeast towards the southwest. This wind pattern is one of the indicators of the northeast monsoon’s onset.
Rainfall has been reported across Tamil Nadu, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry, Rayalaseema, south Karnataka and parts of Kerala. Some locations in these areas also received heavy rain, the weather department said. The northeast monsoon is particularly significant for southern peninsular India, where seasonal rainfall patterns influence water availability and local weather conditions after the southwest monsoon has withdrawn.
The transition comes against a backdrop of weak post-monsoon rainfall in several parts of the country. During the first fortnight of the post-monsoon season, India recorded 69 per cent less rain than average, according to the report citing IMD data. Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka recorded rainfall more than 60 per cent below their respective averages during this period.
For cities and districts in southern India, the onset of the northeast monsoon shifts the immediate rainfall focus towards the east coast and adjoining interior regions. Tamil Nadu, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry, parts of Karnataka and Kerala will remain among the areas receiving rainfall under the new seasonal pattern. The IMD’s reported observations indicate that the seasonal change has already begun through the combination of wind reversal and widespread rain in these areas.
The department’s announcement formally closes the 2026 southwest monsoon season and begins the northeast monsoon season. Further rainfall activity will be tracked through the IMD’s regional forecasts and warnings for the affected states and territories.
