The India Meteorological Department has declared the withdrawal of the southwest monsoon from large parts of north and central India. Formal withdrawal has been announced for Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh. The 2026 monsoon season ended with a national rainfall shortfall of about 10 to 13 percent, with sharp regional contrasts. Forecasters link the pattern in part to a strengthening El Nino in the Pacific. Active weather systems will keep the southern peninsula and the Northeast wet, with isolated heavy rain and thunderstorms over Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in the coming days. The IMD has forecast a short spell of rain and thunderstorms for parts of northwest India and the western Himalaya between October 5 and 7. Clear skies and rising daytime heat are prompting water-planning measures in Mumbai. Several districts in Madhya Pradesh face water stress as the season ends. Farmers are advised to plan rabi sowing based on soil moisture advisories.