The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a "below normal" monsoon for the country, with rainfall expected to be 92% of the Long Period Average. Most parts of the country are likely to see deficient rainfall, said IMD officials.

Director General of the India Meteorological Department, Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, on Monday said that rainfall for the upcoming monsoon season across the country is "likely to be below normal" Speaking to ANI, according to the national forecast issued by the India Meteorological Department, rainfall for the entire monsoon season is likely to be below normal, Mohapatra said.

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Regional Forecast and Climatic Factors

He stated that region-wise distribution indicates below normal rainfall in most parts of the country, with some exceptions. "According to the national forecast issued by the India Meteorological Department, rainfall for the entire monsoon season is likely to be below normal... When considering various regions of the country, rainfall is expected to be below normal in almost all areas, except for some areas in Northwest India, Northeast India, and South India... The large-scale process is currently moving towards neutral conditions. Such neutral conditions will persist until June. After that, conditions are likely to develop in the equatorial Pacific... Towards the end of the monsoon season, or at least in the second half of the monsoon season, a positive Indian Ocean Dipole may develop, which is good for our monsoon season", he said.

India is likely to see below-normal monsoon rains this year, the India Meterological Department said on Monday.

Forecast Quantified at 92% of Average

"The quantity of monsoon rainfall this year is expected to reach 92 per cent of the long-period average this year," M Ravichandran, Secretary, Union Ministry of Earth Sciences, said while addressing a press conference here.

He was accompanied by Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director-general of the India Meteorological Department at the briefing.

The 2026 southwest monsoon seasonal (June to September) rainfall over the country as a whole is most likely to be below normal (95-90 per cent of the Long Period Average (LPA).

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