Strong monsoon-friendly south-easterly winds prevailed over North-West India on the eve of the appointed day of withdrawal of monsoon from the country.

The withdrawal from Rajasthan that normally starts on September 1 (Friday) could get slightly delayed, as is inferred from the wind profile maps put out by India Met Department (IMD).

The withdrawal may not set in motion at least during the first week of September, since there are incipient signs of a fresh rain-generating weather system brewing over the Bay of Bengal.

The withdrawal, marked by reversal of winds, must be strong enough over North-West India and East India to prevail over the rain-driving system from the Bay.

Rain deficit status Meanwhile, rainfall statistics revealed a sudden shoot-up in deficit over the contiguous Met subdivisions of West Uttar Pradesh (37 per cent) and Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi (32 per cent) at the end of August.

Elsewhere, the deficit moderated to below 25 per cent, as in South Interior Karnataka and East Uttar Pradesh (20 per cent each); Kerala (21 per cent); East Madhya Pradesh and Vidarbha (24 per cent each). The deficit for the country as a whole is 4 per cent.

Meanwhile, the IMD has withdrawn the outlook for intensification of Wednesday’s well-marked low-pressure located on Thursday over Kutch, adjoining North-East Arabian Sea and South Pakistan.

The system is preparing to sign off from mainland India after drenching Mumbai, Gujarat, Saurashtra and Kutch, but is still able to fan monsoon south-easterlies over large parts of North-West India.

And this is what is effectively delaying the process of the monsoon’s withdrawal from western Rajasthan.

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