'Conditions unsuitable for monsoon retreat from Northeast'

GUWAHATI: Even as the withdrawal of monsoon has started from the northwestern part of the country from Wednesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials here said that conditions are not yet favourable for the retreat of monsoon from the northeastern region.
October 15 is the normal date for withdrawal of monsoon from the northeast but officials in the Regional Meteorological Centre of the IMD here said that under the prevailing weather conditions, moisture incursion from the Bay of Bengal is occurring in northeast, which has to stop to turn conditions conducive for withdrawal of monsoon from the region.
"Moisture incursion to the northeast because of the movement of southwesterly winds from the Bay of Bengal continues. This has to stop so that conditions for retreat of monsoon from the northeast can become possible. We are closely observing the situation. Withdrawal of the monsoon is still possible close to the normal date," said a senior official of the IMD.
In northeast, rainfall experienced this monsoon from June 1 to September 30 was in the normal range in six states - Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. With 54% rainfall scarcity, Manipur is the only northeastern state where deficit rainfall has been recorded this monsoon.