Chandigarh, Sept. 25 -- The India Meteorological Department (IMD) declared monsoon's departure from Chandigarh on Wednesday, marking its earliest exit since 2001. This year's monsoon withdrawal on September 24 is just a day after the normal date calculated for this year, which was September 23. Since 2001, when the monsoon left on September 18, the retreat has mostly occurred towards the end of September or the beginning of October. Speaking about this, IMD Chandigarh director Surender Paul said, "In the recent years, we have observed a trend where the monsoon's arrival has been delayed and its stay has also continued for a longer time. This year, the second half of the monsoon was also quite active, further intensified by active Western Disturbances in the region. However, an anticyclonic movement has now started to form over the region, keeping rain at bay in the coming days." Among other factors, there should be no rain in the region for four to five days, before monsoon's departure is announced. An anticyclonic system must also form over the region and the humidity in the air needs to start dropping. Between June and September, considered the monsoon period by IMD, the city recorded 1,071.2 mm rain at IMD's Sector 39 observatory, 26% higher than the normal of 845.7 mm. While July and August are usually the wettest months during the season, September was also unusually wet this year. At the Sector-39 observatory, the monthly rainfall was 262.1 mm in June, 211.8 mm in July, 321.4 mm in August and 275.9 mm in September till monsoon's retreat. This figure is likely to remain the same till the end of September with no rain on the cards. However, IMD will release its monsoon report later, which will also factor in readings from the airport observatory. At the Sector 39 observatory, the total rain figure of 1,071.2 mm this year is the highest since 2023, when 1,134.6 mm rain was recorded, largely due to the record 738.7 mm rain in July - the highest in over 70 years. Speaking about the above normal rain received this year, Paul added, "This year, monsoon remained active in the second half of the season as well. Usually rain reduces after August, but the city saw significant rain through September as well. There were at least two instances with an active Western Disturbance working in collusion with the monsoon system, which also resulted in a lot of rain." As clear skies continue, the city's maximum temperature rose from 35.1degC on Tuesday to 35.3degC on Wednesday, 3.4 degrees above normal. This is the highest that the maximum temperature has gone this month till now, while IMD officials expect that it could rise as high as 37degC, before the city approaches autumn in October. The minimum temperature, meanwhile, fell from 24.8degC on Tuesday to 24.2degC on Wednesday, still 1 degree above normal. Over the next three days, the maximum temperature will remain between 35degC and 37degC, and the minimum temperature around 25degC....