Met dept tones down forecast

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) downgraded its monsoon forecast on Friday saying there was a 77% probability of a normal to below normal monsoon. HT reports.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) downgraded its monsoon forecast on Friday saying there was a 77% probability of a normal to below normal monsoon.

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In April, the department had said India would receive 99% rains of the long period average (LPA).

"Quantitatively, monsoon rainfall for the country as a whole will be 96% of the LPA, which is near normal," said Laxman Singh Rathore, director general, IMD. A normal monsoon means rainfall between 96 and 104% of 50-year average rains during the four-month season from June to September.

However, in northwest India, which includes Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, UP, Punjab and Haryana, will see the least rainfall as the monsoon is expected to be below normal at 93%. The monsoon is likely to hit Delhi on July 1 and it may get pre-monsoon showers early next week.

The highest rainfall is expected to be seen in northeast India at 99%. The monsoon came to Kerala four days late on June 5 and is yet to pick up because of three continuous storms in south-east Asia.