BHUBANESWAR: The southwest monsoon is expected to withdraw from the state by Wednesday, according to the latest forecast by the IMD. “Conditions are becoming favourable for the withdrawal of monsoon,” said a bulletin from IMD.
According to the IMD, the monsoon has completely withdrawn from eight districts and some parts of eight more districts in the state. Complete withdrawal has taken place from Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Deogarh, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Subarnapur, Balangir and Nuapada.
Director of the IMD’s regional centre, H R Biswas, said the withdrawal process was delayed this year due to three successive low pressure systems that caused widespread rain in October. He said usually monsoon withdrew by mid-October. Biswas said a similar delay was also witnessed in the state in 2010.
The IMD director said the monsoon, which hit the Odisha coast on time this year, caused good rainfall not only during the monsoon period from June to September but in October too. He said by Tuesday, the state witnessed 71% excess rain compared to normal during October, while during the monsoon period, rainfall stood at 99% compared to normal.
The IMD director further indicated that the minimum night temperature in the state is likely to fall. This indicates the advent of winter. Dry weather is likely to prevail across the state during the next five days, the forecast said.