Is the Monsoon Withdrawal Underway in Bengal?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Monsoon withdrawal has begun in West Bengal.
- Complete exit expected by October 18.
- Cool winds from the north will reduce temperatures.
- No heavy rain is forecasted in the near future.
- West Bengal has experienced severe weather impacts recently.
Kolkata, Oct 12 (NationPress) The withdrawal of monsoon winds from West Bengal has commenced as of Sunday, with the skies becoming clearer and no predictions of significant rainfall throughout the region.
The Meteorological (MeT) Office has indicated that the monsoon is expected to completely exit Bengal by October 18. This transition will allow cool northerly winds to flow freely into the state, resulting in lower temperatures.
A senior official from the Regional Meteorological Centre in Alipore, Kolkata, mentioned that a shift in weather patterns is anticipated in the coming days, marking a rapid move from monsoon conditions to the early onset of winter.
"The withdrawal process has initiated in North Bengal today. The monsoon winds are projected to completely exit South Bengal by October 18. The influx of cool winds from the north will lead to a decline in both minimum and maximum temperatures," the official stated.
The MeT Office has reported that the monsoon has already departed from locations such as Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh), and Akola (Maharashtra). It is expected to leave completely from the rest of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, sections of Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and parts of West Bengal, Odisha, and Sikkim within the next few days.
A cyclonic circulation is present over South Bangladesh. As a result, scattered rainfall is anticipated in South Bengal until Sunday, although the likelihood of rain will further diminish starting Monday. Nevertheless, there is no prediction of heavy rainfall for West Bengal.
The sky is expected to remain mostly clear, and the humidity levels will decrease. This year, West Bengal has experienced unprecedented rainfall. On September 23, persistent overnight rain caused severe flooding in Kolkata, impacting nearly the entire city.
Earlier this month, heavy rainfall led to significant landslides in North Bengal, resulting in approximately 40 fatalities.
On Saturday, Kolkata recorded a maximum temperature of 30.4 degrees Celsius, which is 2.2 degrees below normal. The minimum temperature was 24.3 degrees Celsius, also 1 degree below normal.