The southwest monsoon is expected to withdraw from Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh within the next 48 hours, the India Meteorological Department said on Friday.

But the retreat will not mean dry weather for long. The IMD has forecast rainfall over Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Punjab on October 6 and 7.

Heavy rain is expected in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand from October 5 to 7, and in Jammu and Kashmir on October 6 and 7, with thunderstorms and gusty winds likely.

Rainfall will continue over Madhya Pradesh until October 3 and over Chhattisgarh until October 7. Bihar and Jharkhand may see rain between October 5 and 7.

In the Northeast, rain is expected to continue in Meghalaya, Assam, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh. A fresh low-pressure area may develop over the Andaman Sea around October 13.

The four-month monsoon ended with a 13 percent rainfall deficit, the weakest season since 2015. Southern states are expected to get near-normal rain in the October-December period.