The IMD announced that the monsoon also pulled back from most of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, the entire national capital, and parts of Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat on the same day.
According to the department, the normal withdrawal date for Delhi is September 25, a figure derived from data spanning 1971‑2019, and the 2026 retreat came a full two days early.
For comparison, the monsoon left Delhi on September 24 last year, just one day ahead of the statistical norm.
This year's monsoon onset over Delhi was recorded on July 2, five days later than the typical June 27 start.
Rainfall measured at Safdarjung from June 1 to September 23 totaled 728.6 mm, which is 16 % above the long‑term average of 629.7 mm, though the department still classifies it as "normal rainfall".
Historically, the earliest post‑1961 withdrawal was in 1982 when the monsoon left on September 3, while the latest occurred in 2013, with a retreat on October 17.