- Dry continental air to move into Northwest and West India soon.
- Monsoon withdrawal from West Rajasthan expected around September 19.
- Rainfall to decline sharply in Northwest India with reduced moisture.
India Weather Update: A large mass of dry continental air is expected to move into Northwest and West India after Saturday, as the southwest monsoon enters its final phase over India. This will mark the beginning of the seasonal transition, with the rainy-season circulation gradually giving way to drier conditions.
Dry Air Moves Into Northwest And West India
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), weather conditions are becoming favourable for the monsoon to start withdrawing from parts of West Rajasthan around September 19. Amid this transition, a large mass of dry continental air is expected to move into Northwest and West India after September 19-20.
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This dry air will reduce the moisture available in the atmosphere, making it harder for rain-producing systems to remain active. As a result, rainfall is expected to decline sharply across these parts of the country. The northwest region is likely to start becoming noticeably drier as the monsoon pulls back.
Massive dry air is likely to enter Northwest and West India after September 19/20. This may clear out all the remaining moisture from Northwest India and initiate the withdrawal process. However, this may be halted by the incoming LPS over remaining India for sometime. So,… pic.twitter.com/v7WNEJMgPv
— 🔴All India Weather (@allindiaweather) September 18, 2026
Will Monsoon Withdraw Everywhere At Once?
The withdrawal of the southwest is not expected to be a smooth, uninterrupted process across the whole country. The IMD says a weather system developing over the north Andaman Sea and nearby areas could change the situation. The system is expected to develop into a low-pressure area around Saturday.
It is then likely to strengthen gradually and move west-northwestwards towards the south Odisha-north Andhra Pradesh coast over the following 3-4 days. That means while the northwest starts drying out, several other parts of the country could continue to experience monsoon rainfall.
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What Happens Next
Due to all these conditions, India is expected to see two very different weather patterns at the same time. This includes increasingly dry conditions in the northwest and continued rain activity farther east and south. While the dry air moving into Northwest and West India could be the first major step in the wider withdrawal of the southwest monsoon, the low-pressure system may temporarily slow that process over central and eastern India.