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.

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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.