PUNE: The India Meteorological Department announced that the 2019 monsoon has finally began its withdrawal on October 9 making it the most delayed withdrawal of the monsoon in its recorded history. The most delayed monsoon withdrawals in the past were recorded in 1961 (October 1) followed by 2007 (September 30)."In view of the persistence of an anti-cyclonic circulation in the lower tropospheric level over northwest India, gradual reduction in moisture in the lower & midtropospheric levels and reduction in rainfall , southwest monsoon has withdrawn from some parts of Punjab, Haryana and north Rajasthan today, October 9, 2019 as against the normal date of September 1," an IMD release said.As on today, the withdrawal line passes through Lat. 31.5°N / Long. 74.5°E, Kapurthala, Ambala, Karnal, Churu and Lat. 27.5°N / Long. 70.0°E.IMD said that the conditions are becoming favourable for further withdrawal of southwest monsoon from some more parts of northwest India during next 2 days and from remaining parts of northwest India and adjoining Central India during subsequent 2-3 days."Scattered to fairly widespread rainfall with isolated heavy falls likely over peninsular India and east India during next 24 hours. Thunderstorms accompanied with lightning is also likely over northeast India during next 24 hours and over east India and peninsular India during next 48 hours," IMD has forecast.The extended range forecast of IMD has said that during October 10 to October 16, rainfall activity is likely to confine over south Peninsula with normal to above normal rainfall activity over Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telengana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu and most parts of northeastern states. It is likely to be below normal over remaining parts of the country.