TNIE online desk
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has revised its Southwest monsoon (June to September) prediction, lowering the expected rainfall to 90% of the Long Period Average (LPA).
The last time India received deficient rainfall was in 2014 and 2015, with 88% and 86%, respectively. Recently, India received below normal rainfall in 2018 (91%) and 2023(94%).
In its second-stage Long-Range Forecast of the Monsoon rainfall 2026, the IMD indicated that India is heading towards one of the driest monsoon seasons of the decade.
Only East and North East India are expected to receive normal rainfall, in the range of 94-106% of the LPA. The rest of the country is anticipated to receive below 94% of the LPA.
Additionally, the arrival of the monsoon has been delayed by a week. The IMD had initially forecast the monsoon to reach the Kerala coast by May 26, while the normal date for monsoon onset is June 1.