Monsoon withdrawal advances as Depression weakens. Will it rain again?

The southwest monsoon is steadily pulling back from northern India, but its retreat is being accompanied by another spell of heavy rain.

On September 27, Uttarakhand is expected to be the main hotspot, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall and isolated extremely heavy rain.

At the same time, a depression that brought widespread rain across central India is moving north-northwestwards and weakening.

The combination captures the unusual transition underway, where the monsoon is packing up to leave, but it is also planning to depart eventfully. People are seen at a local market during rain triggered by a weather system. (Photo: PTI)

On Saturday morning, September 26, the depression was over northeast Madhya Pradesh and adjoining north Chhattisgarh, around 70 km south-southwest of Sidhi in Madhya Pradesh, moving north-northwestwards at about 13 kmph.

The IMD expected the system to move across northeast Madhya Pradesh towards southeast Uttar Pradesh during September 26 and gradually weaken into a well-marked low-pressure area within the following 12 hours.

A depression is a stronger form of low-pressure system that can pull large amounts of moisture into its surroundings and produce widespread rain. Even after weakening, the system can continue to affect rainfall. A satellite image shows the weather systems over the Indian subcontinent. (Photo: IMD) For September 27, the IMD expects heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places over Uttarakhand, with isolated extremely heavy rain possible.

Himachal Pradesh and West Uttar Pradesh are also likely to receive heavy to very heavy rain, while East Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh could see heavy rain at isolated places.MONSOON IS ENDING BUT RAIN COULD STILL ARRIVE

The southwest monsoon's withdrawal line had advanced further south and east by September 26, running from Gurdaspur through Chandigarh, Muzaffarnagar, Aligarh, and other nearby regions before reaching the Arabian Sea.

Monsoon withdrawal does not mean rainfall suddenly stops across an entire state or region.One of the most intense systems of this monsoon is likely to affect eastern India and parts of UP and Uttarakhand during the next 72 hours. After this system, the monsoon withdrawal process is likely to begin.Video Courtesy Weathernerds. pic.twitter.com/AzSJWlVBBX— All India Weather (@allindiaweather) September 25, 2026

It is a gradual process, during which the circulation and moisture associated with the monsoon weaken and retreat.

Other weather systems can still produce significant rain even after withdrawal begins, like a western disturbance that, the IMD noted, continues to persist over northern India.- Ends