a change in the lower tropospheric circulation pattern over rajasthan between september 16–17, from cyclonic to anti cyclonic, which indicated to forecasters that the southwest monsoon had started to withdraw from the region. during september 23, after rajasthan had remained mainly dry since september 17, the imd declared that the withdrawal of the southwest monsoon had commenced. over the next couple of weeks the monsoon gradually withdrew from the arabian sea, north-western and central parts of india, before very severe cyclonic storm hudhud formed on october 7. after hudhud had moved northwards and weakened into an area of low pressure, the southwest monsoon withdrew from the rest of india, sri lanka and the north indian ocean by october 18. during october 18, northeast monsoon rains over tamil nadu and neighbouring peninsular india commenced.